Love Made For Fools
by AchikaMiyu
Summary: AU. She found him and took him home on a drunken whim. Little did she know how that one decision would put his fate in her hands and affect the rest of Konoha.
1. Through the Whiskey Glass

****A/N: This story is dedicated to my dear husband, Proteus DMC.

**Chapter 1: Through the Whiskey Glass**

Sakura's throat burned in satisfaction as she sipped her bourbon. The amber liquid warmed her insides and numbed her mind. She wasn't in the mood for any of those light and fruity drinks that did nothing but hurt her waist-line. She wanted it hard and strong; exactly like how she wanted it in the bedroom. Too bad that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. It had only been a month since she and 'he who shall not be named' broke-up. Or more like he told her that he had fallen in love with someone else: the rat-bastard. She always pegged him as the reliable, faithful type. It sucked to be wrong, especially when it came to matters of the heart.

At least she still had friends who cared. Ino pushed an empty glass towards the bartender and motioned for another drink. "Nothing like getting plastered to end the week, right?"

"I'll drink to that," Sakura said as she took a long, hard sip from the snifter.

"You've got some balls going for something so strong. Isn't that your first? I'm up to number three here. You better pick-up the pace if you want to catch up to me."

"I'm going for quality, not quantity tonight."

Ino shrugged as she took the new drink the bartender gave to her. "Whatever floats your boat. Speaking of quality, check out that guy over there."

Sakura looked at the man Ino was pointing to and frowned. "What is he wearing?"

"I don't know, but look at those abs."

"He's probably gay."

Ino pouted. "Stop being Miss Gloom-and-Doom. Even if he's gay, at least he's easy on the eyes."

"Not mine," Sakura shot back bitterly.

"Hm, I guess he does bear a striking resemblance to Sasuke. Guess that means you're not going to talk to him," Ino mused.

"Nope."

Ino looked back over at the man. "Oh, too late. Looks like his boyfriend is back. You were right, he's gay."

"Told ya."

"So are you going to try and look at any of the eye-candy this club has to offer or am I all by my lonesome?"

"Ino, I'm not interested in trying to hook-up with any guy tonight," Sakura sighed.

"What if you were completely drunk off your ass?"

"No."

"Or the character from that novel you love so much popped into the club and swept you off your feet?"

Sakura tapped her finger on her chin. "Tempting, but highly unlikely. There's only one man in the world who looks mildly like that character and he's both married and too old for me."

"Oh yes, Naruko's Dad," Ino sighed dreamily. "If only he were thirty years younger."

Sakura's face soured. "I think I need another drink."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to bring her name up. Here, this one's on me."

"It's okay," Sakura sighed. Her lips curled up into a smile shortly afterwards. "Though Mr. Namikaze was quite a catch when he was younger."

The two women laughed over their girlish fantasies of the older man. As promised, Ino paid for Sakura's second drink. This time, Sakura opted for a real ass-kicker, a whiskey that had been aged for ten years. The night was young and the girls were only getting warmed-up.

By the end of the evening, Sakura had consumed three ass-kicking drinks and Ino drank more than a fish underwater. The club had closed and Ino had left with two guys escorting her home. Sakura didn't remember their names, but Ino had referred to them as the Hunky-Wolf-Guy and the Creepy-But-Cute-Bug-Dude. She wasn't interested in a one-night stand tonight, but that didn't mean she was going to do nothing. A smutty romance novel and her trusty vibrator were waiting back at home.

Sakura stumbled on the sidewalk in a drunken stupor. Her three-inch heels weren't helping either. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw an animal creeping up alongside the bushes. Sakura had always liked animals. She had dreams of adopting a cat, but her busy schedule with school and work prevented her from following through. Crouching down, Sakura peered into the bushes to try and see the animal that was hiding. She held her hand out and swayed a bit unsteadily on her feet.

If she were sober, she would have realized that by crouching down the way she was, anyone passing by would get a glimpse of her panties. Currently, her inhibitions were long gone and flashing people on the streets was the least of her worries. Needless to say, when the furry head of an animal popped out of the bushes and stuck its nose between her legs, Sakura didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Oh, a cute little animal! What are you doing out here?"

Sakura picked up the animal without any concern for her safety. The action made her lose her balance as she plopped down onto the sidewalk unceremoniously with the animal in her hands. She laughed as she fell backwards and raised her arms up to see what furry creature she found. An orange-red furred fox stared back at her curiously. Its tail swished back and forth, tickling Sakura as it brushed over her legs.

"You are such a cutie-pie!" Sakura giggled as she nuzzled the fox to her bosom.

The fox snuggled deeper between Sakura's breasts, amusing the woman.

"Aren't you a little pervert," Sakura joked. The fox opened its mouth almost like it was agreeing with her as its tongue lolled back and forth.

Sakura carefully stood up with the fox still in her arms. "Oh, you feel so snuggly and warm. I just want to take you home with me."

At those words, the fox yipped in excitement and wagged its tail.

"You want to come home with me too?"

The fox yipped and licked her face, eliciting squeals of delight. That sealed the deal as Sakura carried the fox in her arms while she staggered towards her apartment. The drunken woman managed to open the door without dropping the fox. After getting the door open, she promptly raised her hands up, tossing the fox into her apartment.

"Welcome to my humble abode! Make yourself at home. Bathroom's down the hall on the right and kitchen is to your left. Oh wait, you probably won't use those."

The fox tilted its head and looked at her as she continued to give it the tour of her apartment. She stumbled through the halls discarding her purse and various articles of clothing along the way. The fox had to dodge one of her shoes that was tossed haphazardly in its direction. Sakura opened a door and tossed her bra on the floor while she pranced around in nothing but her underwear.

"And here we have it. The master bedroom. It's got an attached bathroom and everything."

The fox scampered around the room sniffing and exploring every inch of the bedroom. A pile of books were stacked in one corner alongside some textbooks and a cardboard box. A white lab coat hung on the back of the bedroom door. There was only one window in the bedroom and it had a clear view of the nearby mountain range. Sakura fumbled with trying to take off her panties while she watched the fox jump on top of her desk to look out the window.

"What do you see?"

The fox looked back at her and let its eyes wander up and down her body. Sakura didn't seem to notice this. She came up and pat its head as she looked out the window.

"I bet you came from the mountains, didn't you?"

The fox nodded its head as if it understood her.

"At least you're not too far from home. I should give you a name. I wonder if you're a girl or a boy."

The fox leered at her breasts and gazed hungrily down at her panties half-on and half-off her body.

Sakura noticed its gaze this time around. "Definitely boy. I wonder what I should name you?" Sakura looked out the window again and then smiled as she turned to the fox. "How about I call you Kyuubi? You came from the mountains, right? So that should be perfect."

The fox yipped in approval.

"Kyuubi it is then. Come on Kyuubi, it's time for beddy-bye," Sakura said picking him up. As inebriated as she was, she couldn't help but fall onto the bed with him in her arms. She hadn't even completely pulled her panties off or pulled the sheets over her body before falling into a blissful, drunken sleep.

The fox struggled briefly in Sakura's arms as he tried to free himself. After pulling his head out, he shook his body and then stretched. Pacing on the bed, he used his teeth to finish removing Sakura's panties. He watched with approving eyes as Sakura turned onto her back, moving her legs wider apart. She was laid bare in front of him. The fox smirked as his eyes flashed red.

* * *

><p>In her mind's eye, she could see him licking her leg, gently nipping her here and there. A shock of blond hair grazed her skin while a pair of sultry blue-eyes stared back at her. He looked familiar, like one of those men from her fantasies. When his face nudged her legs wider apart, she noticed the three whisker marks adorning each cheek. Sakura smiled as the name of that character on the cover of her favorite novel came to mind: Naruto. She didn't hesitate to open up to him and watched with half-lidded eyes as he took a finger and to her. The sight of him hungrily sucking on the digit drove her crazy. But nothing could compare to the feel of his tongue. She would try to grab his hair to get him to finish her off with his mouth, but Naruto would grab her wrists and pin them above her head while he teased her in the most satisfyingly cruel way.<p>

Just before she would beg him, he would move and the words would choke on the back of her throat in a breathy moan. He filled her to the brim and then some. Her fingers pressed against the muscles of his back. His lips caught hers in a torturous battle for dominance as she moaned deep into his kisses. It felt all too real to be a dream, but far too heavenly to be actually happening. In her drunken state of euphoria, she felt herself almost lifted off the bed as Naruto pulled her up so that she was sitting on top of him. He did it so skillfully; pushing her senses to the edge of all reason.

She could see the definition of his muscles and the smoldering look he was giving her. It was usually around this time that his face would transform into her old high school English teacher or Sasuke's brother, but she didn't complain when his face remained in focus. The actions and feel of him made Sakura reconsider ever switching guys mid-fantasy ever again.

Turning her around so that she was on her back again, Naruto pulled her legs over his shoulder. Any rationale thought left in Sakura's body vanished. The sheer volume of pleasure she experienced was surreal. She briefly looked up and touched her fantasy man's face, trying to see if he was a dream because everything felt so intense. Her fingers barely skimmed his face before he grabbed her hand and kissed the tips of each of her fingers. It was such a sweet gesture; she never got a chance to confirm whether or not he was real before she slipped off to sleep.

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><p>AN: An uncensored version of this story can be found at the Heaven & Earth forums in their library.


	2. Waking Dream

**A/N:** Just wanted to clarify a few things with the reviewer **Gah**. In the last chapter, Sakura did _not_ have any intentions of having a one-night stand. She said so to Ino when they were at the bar. When Sakura got back to her apartment, she did not bring home a human male. She only brought home a fox. The scene that played out, though real, was something that Sakura _thought_ was all a very vivid fantasy. So given the events in last chapter, I'm not sure where you're going with your review. If there are other concerns that you have, feel free to let me know. After all, it's a reviewer's job to keep us writers in check.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Waking Dream<strong>

She was having another one of those erotic dreams. Again, it featured Naruto. Things started out different from yesterday's fantasy. Rather than seeing him slowly emerge, licking up her legs, he was already doing wonderful things to her body. This dream felt real, much like the other one did. She could practically feel his muscles rippling underneath her fingertips. Her drunken state last night had muddled some of her senses, but today they were singing. Sakura knew she must have been extremely frustrated lately because everything felt insanely intense.

Sakura lolled her head to the side and moaned as she felt him suck on her neck. His hands never stopped moving, whether it was to run up and down her body or linger at her chest. He was only getting warmed-up and already she was ready. As if reading her mind, he increased his pace. The results were instantaneous and she screamed with pleasure.

She barely had time to come down from her high when she was turned around onto her hands and knees. Her mind was starting to become more alert. She blinked in confusion. The fog of sleep and alcohol started to lift with each sudden movement from behind. There was a moment of panic when Sakura realized she wasn't dreaming. She turned her head to see who was with her. It was her fantasy man, Naruto. Sakura reasoned that she couldn't be awake and she was having the most erotically realistic dream she had ever had. Despite how drunk she was, she knew she didn't bring anyone home last night, especially one that looked like Naruto.

She moaned as the Naruto-look-alike snaked an arm around her waist and continued his ministrations. The pleasure was so good; she decided that it didn't matter if this was a dream or if it was real. Her inhibitions didn't care if she was having sex with a complete stranger. It felt too damn good and she wasn't going to stop. Feeling more relaxed, Sakura decided it was time to get more involved in the act than simply being a passive recipient.

Pushing her hands up, she straightened her back and turned her head to kiss the man. He returned the kiss eagerly. Then he started to lick her neck and suck on that sensitive part of her ear that always drove her wild: the man behind her growled deep and hungrily. Sakura could feel another orgasm coming on as she panted. The Naruto-look-alike could sense it too as he pushed her back onto her hands and knees. Bunching up the sheets beneath her, she stifled her screams by burying her head into her pillow. She barely heard the man behind her grunt as he reached his peak.

Feeling absolutely spent, Sakura fell forward onto her bed, taking the man with her. He lay on top of her like a hot, sweaty blanket. She knew that she should be worried about the stranger she just had sex with, but a part of her couldn't seem to care less. Especially with the way he was rubbing her arms and kissing her neck and back. He certainly was the affectionate type. At least she was on the pill so that was one less thing to worry about. She turned to face him and had her lips immediately assaulted by his as he kissed her deeply.

Sakura opened her eyes to finally take a good look at her bedmate. He looked exactly like the man drawn on the cover art of her favorite novel. It was like the character, Naruto, had come to life and decided to fuck her senseless. Everything about him was perfect: the ocean-blue eyes, the sun-kissed skin, bright vibrant hair, and even the whisker marks adorning his cheeks. Sakura touched them to see if they were real and was rewarded by a sexy purr from the man as he narrowed his eyes at her in an erotic way.

"I must be dreaming," Sakura said to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the loud blaring of her alarm clock. The man in bed with her turned sharply towards the clock and growled at it. Sakura leaned over him to turn it off, irritated at the shrill sound. It was eight in the morning. There was a brief onset of panic as she wondered whether or not she had class today, but calmed once she remembered it was Saturday. The panic came back after she realized that the man in her bed hadn't dematerialized now that she was wide awake. It didn't help that he was lavishing wonderful attention to her body.

Sakura pushed him away as she fell off the bed. "Crap! What the fuck! Who?"

The man raised one of his brows while he watched her from the edge of the bed. His eyes wandered up and down her body as Sakura tried her best to cover anything her small hands could hide. "There's no point in doing that."

"Doing what?" Sakura quickly grabbed a T-shirt lying on the floor. "Just who the hell are you?"

"Me? I don't know."

"What do you mean, 'you don't know?' You have a name right?"

"Not really," the man scratched his head. "Oh wait! You gave me one last night. It's Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi?" Sakura tried to remember anyone by that name. Then the recollections of last night's events flashed through her mind: drinking with Ino, carrying a fox into her apartment, and then naming it before dragging it into bed with her. Sakura made a mental note never to bring any furry creatures home ever again. "You can't be Kyuubi. Kyuubi was a cute fox I found outside. You're . . . you're . . ."

The man stood up and crouched down next to Sakura, giving her an eyeful of the gift between his legs. "I'm what?"

"A man."

"And you're a woman. Now let's screw," Naruto tried to grab Sakura.

She pushed his hands away. "No, don't touch me. I still don't know who you are."

"I told you, I'm Kyuubi. Of course, if you want to name me something else, you can."

"You can't be Kyuubi. Kyuubi's a fox. You're a man."

"I'm both, okay. Here, let me prove it to you." The man looked at her for a few seconds and then slowly shrunk and morphed until he was fox.

Sakura stared at the fox. "I don't believe it. This can't be happening. I must be really hung over."

"Trust me, it is happening. And yeah, you're probably hung over. Here, let me help." The fox jumped off of the bed and transformed back into a naked man. She saw him run out of the room and could hear him rummaging around in her kitchen.

He came back before Sakura had time to find her undergarments. As she finished clasping her bra, the man had put a tall glass of water in front of her. She took it graciously and drank trying her best not to notice that he was still butt-naked.

"Feeling better?" the man asked.

Sakura nodded her head. "What are you?"

The man scratched his chin as he thought. "I guess you could say I'm a nature spirit."

"A nature spirit?"

"Yeah, a nature spirit."  
>Sakura shook her head trying to wrap her mind around the situation. "Okay, so you're a nature spirit. What are you doing here?"<p>

"Having sex with you." The man shrugged.

"Besides that!" Sakura screamed as she threw a pillow at him.

The man caught the pillow and tossed it off to the side. "Do you want to know the real reason why I'm here?"

"Yes."

"Because you smell good and I've chosen you." The man wrapped his arms around her.

"Me?" Sakura squeaked as she started to lose herself in his eyes. He looked so much like the art design; she almost believed that he had popped out of the cover to seduce her. He swooped down for a kiss and she let out a breathy whisper. "Naruto."

He let his tongue glide across her lips taking her breath away. "Naruto, who's that?"

"You," Sakura sighed, feeling him lift her onto his lap as he sat down on the bed.

"Hm, I like that name." His hands moved to her back to work on her bra.

Sakura almost let herself get lost in his ministrations again. The jingle of her cell-phone interrupted the pair and brought Sakura back to her senses. Pushing the man off, she rifled through the clothes on the floor to find her cell.

Sakura answered the phone and was surprised to hear Hinata on the other line.

"Morning Sakura."

"Morning Hinata. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you've heard from Ino this morning? She hasn't answered her cell."

"She's probably at someone else's place. I doubt you'll hear from her until late afternoon." Sakura remembered the two men Ino had hooked up with last night as well as how much she had to drink.

"That's what I was afraid of. She was supposed to go with me to the bridal salon to help me pick out a dress."

"She was? Hell, if I knew that last night, I would have forced her to go home early."

"No, it's not her fault. We were supposed to do it on Sunday, but Chouji's parents wanted to cook for us so I have to make it today. I left her a text message, but I don't think she got it."

"Tell you what. I can go with you to the bridal shop. Just give me an hour to get changed and eat and I can meet you at your apartment, how does that sound?"

"Are you sure? I'd hate to be an inconvenience to you. I mean, this is sort of last minute. I don't want you to cancel any plans that you have."

"I didn't make any plans today," Sakura said before remembering the naked man in her room. She turned towards him and was greeted by the wonderful sight of him lying on his side while he emphasized his growing need for her. "It's probably best I get out anyways. Otherwise I'll just stay in my room all day doing who-knows-what. But see you in an hour. Bye!"

Sakura didn't even give Hinata time to say good-bye as she hung-up the phone and turned towards the naked man on her bed. "You!"

"Naruto."

"What?"

"You named me Naruto, I like that name better than Kyuubi."

"Well, whoever you are. I need to leave for a while so stay here and don't leave the apartment. You can tell me about exactly why you're here and why you've picked me after I meet up with one of my friends."

Naruto looked miffed. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"I have food in the fridge and some books on the floor you can read. Just entertain yourself and don't break anything."

Sakura rushed into the bathroom and showered as quickly as she could. There wasn't any time to blow-dry her hair. She rushed out of the bathroom and saw Naruto still lying in the same position on the bed that she had left him in. He sported a cheeky grin and tried to tempt her into bed once more, but Sakura wasn't going to be swayed; as tempting as it was. Hinata needed her and friends came before men.

She managed to pop a few aspirin on her way out the door as she grabbed a bagel. Thankfully, the walk to Hinata's apartment took only ten minutes. She didn't think she could steer her car out of the parking garage in her state. The alcohol hadn't fully left her system yet, but she was coherent enough to help shop for a wedding dress.

Hinata met her at the door with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much Sakura."

"Anything for a friend. Hope you don't mind driving though."

"Of course."

The women made it to the bridal shop on the other side of town. It was one of the more expensive boutiques. Hinata was lucky that her father was a wealthy businessman who was about to marry off his oldest daughter. The pair took their time looking through the gowns, trying to decide which style would look best. After going through over a dozen dresses, the two friends had narrowed the selection down to three. They were taking a break from shopping by sitting in the boutique's lounge.

"Has Hanabi picked out the bridesmaids' dresses yet?"

"Not yet. She's still busy with all of her classes and activities. This weekend she's away at a conference for the debate club. I think she should have a basic dress picked out soon, but it might not be until a few weeks."

"That girl is such an overachiever. Even I took time to actually enjoy college."

Hinata smiled. "I know. But both Father and I are proud of her."

Sakura sighed as she gazed at the wedding dresses on display. "How long ago was it since we graduated from Anbu?"

"About two years."

"Wow. And look at you now: the first in our group to get married. We're getting old."

"We're not that old. You're only in grad school and we're barely in our mid-twenties."

"But look at you. You have a great job in marketing and Chouji is already working as a sous-chef at that five-star restaurant down the street. Now you two are getting married."

Hinata blushed. "Well, Neji and TenTen will eventually be getting married. I mean, they've been dating since high school."

"Neji is too busy getting his law degree to propose and TenTen is . . . hm, what is TenTen doing?"

Hinata shook her head. "I'm not really sure. All I know is that it involves guns, knives, and lots of explosions. Yeah, I guess I can see your point. But they've been together for so long, it's only inevitable."

Sakura snorted. "That's what I told myself about Sasuke and look where it got me."

"Yeah, that was a real shock. Have you talked to him since you both broke-up?"

"Not really. The bastard hasn't even dropped by my apartment to pick-up his stuff. I think he knew it was best to avoid me at all costs after I found out."

"How about Naruko? Have you seen or spoken to her?"

"Me? Talk to that bitch? Hell no! The only reason why I would want to spend any time with that slut is to rip her eyes out with my bare hands." Sakura ripped apart the plastic bottle of water she was holding.

Hinata laughed nervously as she saw some other customers give the pair odd looks. "Let's change the subject. So which dress do you think I should pick? The ivory ball-gown, the lacy A-line, or the white one with the cathedral train?"

Shopping was a sure-fire way to distract Sakura from unpleasant thoughts and violence; or unpleasant thoughts of violence. The girls spent the rest of the day finalizing the dress, accessories, and getting Hinata measured. They had finally picked the perfect dress for the big day.

"I'm glad we're done. I know that the ivory ball-gown is going to look great on you."

"Thank you again for coming out today. It means so much to me." Hinata gave Sakura a hug.

"What are friends for?"

Hinata looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Sakura, I know that you probably don't want to talk to Sasuke, but I think you need to."

"I don't know. He was the one who hurt me."

"I know. But as a friend to both of you, I think you need to hear his side of the story."

Sakura looked at Hinata curiously. "You know something, don't you?"

"Somewhat. I overheard Father talking with Naruko's father about it one day. You know the funny thing?"

"What's that?"

"There was a time when my father considered setting me up in an arranged married to either Sasuke or Itachi."

"Are you serious?"

Hinata nodded her head. "But he never went through with it because he knew that Mother would have never wanted something like that for her daughters. I'm just grateful that Father approved of Chouji. I was afraid of how he would react then I first introduced him."

"Hinata, Chouji's a great guy. You two are lucky to have each other. But I'll think about what you said. As you know, Sasuke and I aren't really on speaking terms. If I get a chance to talk to him, I'll try."

"Thanks Sakura."

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><p><strong>AN:** The uncensored version of this chapter can be found at the H&E forums in their library.


	3. Fighting Dreamers

**Chapter 3: Fighting Dreamers**

Hinata dropped Sakura off in front of her apartment. It was already late afternoon by the time she got home. A part of her almost forgot that she had a nature spirit in her apartment until she turned the door and was greeted by the smells of a salty, meaty broth. Walking towards the kitchen, Sakura was shocked to see Naruto slurpping some ramen at her dining room table in his birthday suit.

"Welcome home!"

"You're naked."

Naruto looked down and shrugged. "So?"

"You're naked," Sakura stated again, emphasizing each word. "Why don't you have any clothes on?"

"Why do I need to wear them? There's nobody here but you and we've had sex already."

Sakura sighed. "Most people wear their clothes even in their own homes."

"But not everyone. There's this one guy a few blocks from here who always walks around in his house naked. I figured if he could do it, why can't I?"

"Well, if you're going to stay with me, you need to wear some clothes. I can't have you prancing around in the buff. Wait here, I think I have something."

Sakura walked into her closet and found a box full of Sasuke's things she had angrily tossed inside. There was only one set of clothes, but everything was there: underwear, socks, shirt, and pants. She handed him the outfit almost expecting to have to teach him how to dress, but he surprised her by putting everything on like someone who wore clothes on a daily basis.

Naruto caught the look she was giving him. "Would you believe me if I told you that I've stolen other people's clothes before and walked around the city?"

"It's kind of hard not to believe you at this point."

Naruto grinned. "Hey are you hungry? Want me to make you some ramen? This is the best stuff ever!"

"I'm surprised you know how to cook."

"Of course I know. What do you think I was going to do, open a container of ground beef and eat it raw?"

"Well, yeah."

"Hey, I may have lived in the mountains all of my life, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to boil water and read simple instructions. The only hard part was waiting three minutes for the ramen to be ready. Oh, by the way, I love my new name! This guy right here." Naruto picked-up her copy of _Legend of the Gutsy Ninja_ and pointed to the cover. "He's so cool! And you know what's even better?"

"What?"

"I look just like him, see?" Naruto pointed to his face.

Sakura definitely knew about the resemblance. But what was really burning on the forefront of her mind wasn't that. "So Naruto, can I ask a question?"

"Yeah?"

"If you've lived in the mountains all your life, how did you learn how to talk, read, or boil water?"

"I watched people."

"Watched peopled?"

"Yeah. Folks hike through the forest up there all of the time. That and when I'm bored I leave the mountains and look into people's houses. You wouldn't believe all the things you can learn just by doing that. Isn't that neat?"

"Neat? You think that sounds neat? It makes you sound like a perverted voyeur!"

Naruto sat pensively. "Well, I never thought of it that way, but yeah, it does sound pretty creepy."

"Okay, so we've established how you've learned to blend in, but I never got to ask you the important question. What are you doing here?"

"You asked me that this morning. And I told you that I'm here because I chose you."

"Chose me for what?"

Naruto smiled brightly before pulling Sakura into a hug. "To be my mate!"

Sakura pushed him off of her. "Mate! Who said anything about me being your mate."

"Why not? We've already had sex," Naruto shrugged.

"It doesn't work that way."

"Yes it does. I desire you, you desire me, we screw like rabbits, and then go off and have babies. Isn't that how it always works?"

"Maybe in the animal kingdom it does, but not with humans."

Naruto crossed his arms across his chest. "Okay, so how do humans mate?"

"First off, humans don't mate, they get married."

"Oh, is that when the woman wears some fancy dress and they talk for a long time in front of a guy who gives them rings? I think I saw one of those in the forest once."

"Yes, that's called a wedding. When two humans get married, they do so in a wedding and then they are husband and wife."

"We can do a wedding too! We just need to hold hands while wearing fancy clothing right? We could do it now and then I could bind you to me."

Sakura shook her head. "No, no, no. You don't just decide to get married to someone that quickly. At least no self-respecting person would. You have to get to know the person and see whether or not you both are compatible. I hardly know you so like hell if I'm marrying you."

Naruto walked up to Sakura and captured her lips suddenly in a searing kiss. His hands roamed everywhere she wanted them to be and nowhere she desperately needed. The layers of clothing were now an annoyance and she offhandedly cursed for asking him to put clothes on.

He slowly disengaged from the kiss and whispered into her ear. "I think I can convince you otherwise."

Never one to back down from a challenge, Sakura pushed him back briefly to look into his eyes. "Try me."

With a feral look, Naruto rushed forward and recaptured her lips. The pair fought for dominance with Naruto coming out the victor. His tongue left slick trails along her neck as he ravaged her pulse point. Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist and felt her rear hit the kitchen table. She lay down giving him a defiant look, daring him to do his worst. Naruto made short work of her pants and panties. Sakura helped by pulling up her shirt and bra. He immediately attacked her breasts.

Kissing a trail down her chest and past her belly, he gave her a wink once he reached his goal. The sensations caused by his tongue were incredible. She looked down at him through half-lidded eyes while he ate her out on her kitchen table. The irony of the situation made it all the more enticing to her.

It was annoying that he was still fully clothed and she was half-naked. Though she didn't have a good impression of the previous man who wore that outfit. Having Naruto go down on her while wearing Sasuke's clothes felt somewhat cleansing and satisfying. Maybe she would mail them back to her ex smelling like hot sex. She would have to have Naruto keep them on. If she was feeling especially vindictive, she'd ask Naruto to finish on them too.

Those thoughts were quickly driven from her mind as Naruto swirled his tongue, sending sensations of pleasure shooting up and down her body. She was already on her way towards her first orgasm. He wanted all of her focus on him and him alone. She obliged as her hands went to his head to coax him to go faster. It didn't take him much longer to push her over the edge as her body jerked in the throes of an intense orgasm.

She panted in satisfaction and saw Naruto start to undo his pants. She put her hand on his to stop him. "Keep the clothes on. I want you to fuck me with them on."

Naruto looked at her oddly. He didn't question her request, but instead started to take the rest of her clothes off. As he was pulling off her shirt, Sakura scooted off the table and knelt down in front of Naruto. Taking it into her hands, she returned the favor.

Even though they'd had sex already, she had never seen him up close and personal. It was longer and wider than Sasuke's. The feel was an odd contrast of the hardest rock and the softest velvet. He had an earthy smell that was much more pleasurable and masculine than Sasuke's. She wanted to finish, but Naruto wouldn't let her. He gently pushed her head back and lifted her up. Carrying her to the bedroom, he laid her down and lifted one of her legs over his shoulders before thrusting forward: penetrating her to the core.

Now that she was completely sober and coherent, she absolutely loved the feel of him. He seemed to know the right angle to come at her as well as the speed. She could feel his lips kissing the inner curve of her ankle as he drove deeper into her. She practically came at the sight of him doing that. Feeling a bit naughty, she hooked her foot behind his head and pulled his face closer to hers. Grabbing his head, Sakura locked her lips on his. He never stopped his thrusts and her next orgasm came crashing down on her when he hit her at a certain angle.

After she caught her breath, she bit his earlobe seductively. "Now it's my turn."

Naruto smirked and let her roll him onto his back. His hands immediately reached for her breasts. Sakura grinned keeping her eyes locked on his while she sank down onto him. She starting bouncing up and down, enjoying the feel of control. It was a battle where both parties were going to come out winning in the end. The repetitive actions built enough friction in her body that she was about to come again. Watching Sakura's face as she screamed with her orgasm pushed Naruto over the edge. He practically lifted Sakura off the bed with his hips when he released inside of her.

Spent and thoroughly satisfied, Sakura lay on top of him. She smiled as Naruto kissed the top of her head affectionately and rubbed her back.

"That was good," Sakura said.

"You know I could do that do you for all of eternity if you'd like. All you have to do is be my mate."

Sakura smacked him playfully on the chest. "You know a relationship based primarily on sex is not going to last."

"Says who?"

Sakura shrugged. "Common sense."

"So if I can't convince you to be my mate by having gratuitous sex with you, what can I do?"

"Normally, people date. You know, go out for dinner, buy flowers, stuff like that."

"Do you want to date?"

"I don't know, you're not even a real man."

Naruto looked insulted. He sat up and started taking off his clothes. Once he was completely naked, he pushed his evidence in front of her face. "I have this and you don't think I'm a real man?"

"That's not what I meant," Sakura laughed, swatting at him. "Get that thing out of my face."

"If I get it out of your face, can I put it inside of you?"

"Is that all you think about? Sex?"

"Not all of the time, just most of the time." Naruto lay back down on top of her. "So what do you say? Are you woman enough for me?"

This man could really push her buttons. Sakura knew that she shouldn't let him goad her. She knew that once she let him get his way, it would be game over for her. But her pride damned her. There was no way he was going to make her think she wasn't up for whatever challenge he threw at her: that and the sex was too good to pass up.

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><p><strong>AN:** There is actually a plot to this story. We're getting there. But I'm starting to get busy at work. I may not have as much time to devote to editing the story. I do have about 90% of it written, it's just a matter of polishing and what-not. I'm projecting the story to be about 20 chapters long, give or take a few.


	4. Only Fools Rush In

A/N: There's actually no difference between the censored and the uncensored versions of this chapter. BTW, all reviews are welcome: good, bad, or ugly. Hope it won't take as much time to get the next chapter out, but still busy at work.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Only Fools Rush In<strong>

They spent the rest of the evening doing it like rabbits before falling asleep. Then they woke up to have some more sex, both in bed and in the shower. Sakura finally convinced Naruto to let her have a break because they needed to eat breakfast and she was sore. An ice pack lay between her legs as they both sat naked at the dining room table.

"You know, eating at a table with utensils is so overrated," Naruto said between bites of bacon.

"Overrated? I think most would consider it civilized."

"Yeah, but it's so much easier to just stick your mouth into the food and eat it. You don't have to worry about washing any dishes, you don't waste anytime having to cut it up, and you get to lick it off later!"

Sakura laughed. "I forget that you're used to living in the wild. So do you parade around the mountains naked?"

"I rarely go around in my human form. I'm mainly in my fox form. I learned pretty quickly that walking around naked in the mountains isn't a good idea. There's the occasion when it's great, but not often."

"So can you transform into anything else besides a fox?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

Naruto took a huge gulp of orange juice before answering. "Because the fox is the guardian spirit of the mountains."

Sakura put her coffee down and leaned forward, completely interested. "Have theKyuubiMountainsalways been protected by you and the fox spirits?"

"The fox spirits, yes. Me, not quite as long."

"How long have you been there?"

Naruto scratched his head. "For as long as I can remember. I don't really know how many years now. Time doesn't really have much relevance up there. But it has been long enough to watch and learn how to interact as a normal human being. I even know how to read and write!"

"I must admit, that is pretty amazing. You probably learned from all of the college students who would hang out up there. I know that I've been up there a few times with some of my friends."

"Really? I wish I knew that. I would have tried to mate with you earlier," Naruto sulked.

Sakura laughed. "It's probably because I never went all the way up the mountain trail. I only stayed at the base of the mountains near the Uzumaki Shrine. Have you been there?"

"I know the place you're talking about, but I've never been there."

"Why not?"

"Because it doesn't need my protection."

"Doesn't need your protection?"

Before she got a chance to ask Naruto more about that, someone started knocking on the door.

"Sakura! It's me, Ino! You've got to let me in!"

Sakura stared at Naruto with a look of abject panic. "Quick, you've got to hide in my closet or something. I don't want Ino seeing you."

She pushed him out of the kitchen before grabbing the plates and sticking them into the sink along with her ice pack. As she ran towards the front door, she grabbed a robe from her closet and put it on. With her hand on the doorknob, Sakura looked around for any sign of Naruto but didn't see him. Taking a deep breath and faking sleepiness, she opened the door.

"Hey Ino, what's up?"

Ino made her way past Sakura and headed straight for the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. "First off, thanks for helping Hinata out. I got the texts from her and it actually works out that she took you yesterday instead of me taking her today."

"You know I'd help Hinata out anytime."

Ino tried to repress an excited smiled. "By the way, I have the best news for you."

Sakura's face lit up. "What's that?"

"I need to give you a little background first. Remember Friday night?"

"Oh do I," Sakura said sarcastically.

"Well, I went home with two incredibly hot guys that night. Let me tell you. Best. Night. Ever! I could barely walk the next morning. But that's not the important part."

"Seriously? Having a hot threesome isn't the most important part of this story? Who are you and what have you done to my best-friend?"

Ino shot her a look. "Sex isn't the only part of my life that excites me."

Sakura took a sip of her coffee and stared back at her without any expression.

"Okay, so maybe it is. But the big news, which I'm sure you'll appreciate, is that the two guys I hooked up with that night work for ICHA!"

"They work for ICHA? You mean the Innovative Conservation Health Alliances ICHA?"

"Yes!" Ino said almost spilling her coffee in her excitement.

"Wow! What do they do?"

"Kiba, the dog-lover, works on monitoring the wildlife at their campsite. Shino, the creepy one, examines and categorizes the bug population."

"Have they both met the directors?"

Ino smirked. "They both know them on a first name basis. I'm going to have an interview with Jiraya. Apparently, they're in need of a botanist."

"Oh my gosh! I'm so happy for you! That's awesome. What I wouldn't give to be in your shoes right now. Are you going to meet Tsunade?"

"I'm not sure. The interview is with Jiraya. But who knows. Oh, do you want me to bring over that copy of _The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja_ over? Maybe I could get him to sign it?"

"Only if you can. Though I wonder? How are you going to be able to handle all of our work for grad school and this job?"

Ino smiled. "I can handle it. All I have to do is giveProfessorYamatomy famous puppy-dog look and he'll excuse any late papers or assignments. Besides, Kiba and Shino are also both grad students. Apparently, they have flexible hours."

"You're so lucky. I want to hear all about the interview when you're done."

"That'll probably be in a few hours. I actually gotta go right now to meet up with Kiba and Shino. They're going to show me around the facility." Ino put the coffee down and started towards Sakura's room.

Sakura stood to try and stop her. "Wait Ino! Where are you going?"

"To get your book silly. Don't worry, I know where you usually put it."

Sakura tried to catch Ino before she moved into the bedroom. She wasn't sure where Naruto was hiding, but if Ino saw him, there would be no end to the questions. Questions that Sakura wasn't prepared to answer and wasn't even sure how to answer.

Ino's screams filled the apartment. "How cute!"

Sakura walked into the bedroom dreading what she would see. What she didn't expect was to see Ino petting a fox that was resting on her bed.

"When did you get a fox?"

"Um, Friday night on my way home," Sakura laughed nervously.

"Wow, I didn't know foxes could be domesticated. Did you name him?"

"Yeah. I named him, Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi? After the mountains? That's not very original."

"It was all I could come up with at the time. He seems to like it."

Ino scratched behind the fox's ears before giving him a gentle pat to the head. "I should tell Kiba about this. He'd be interested since he's been doing research about the indigenous animals in the area."

"I'd actually be interested in hearing what Kiba has to say about that." Sakura eyed Naruto in his fox form. "I picked him up on a drunken whim and now he thinks he can stay here. I'm not sure if I can keep him."

Naruto visibly deflated as he pressed his ears to his head and whined softly.

"Oh, don't say things like that. You've hurt his feelings. Tell you what, I'll ask what sort of things you need to know about adopting a pet fox. You can't get rid of the little fella, he's just too cute!" Ino squealed. Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll think about it."

"Good. I'll call you when I get out of the interview. Catch ya later!" Ino waved good-bye before putting Sakura's book into her purse.

When Sakura heard the sound of the front door slam shut, she turned to Naruto and felt extremely guilty. In his fox form, Naruto was giving her the most pitiful look possible. His ears were pressed flat against his head. His eyes were watering up and he looked at her pleadingly. He was pulling at her heartstrings and playing them like a professional musician.

"Geez, don't give me that look."

Naruto only whined in response. "You said you were going to get rid of me."

"I know I said that, but . . ." Sakura sighed. "You really don't belong here. You're a nature spirit. Shouldn't you live in the mountains where you belong? I barely even know why you're here with me instead of at your home."

Naruto sat-up and shifted back into his human form. Motioning for her to sit, Sakura sat next to him on the bed. "Give me your hand."

Sakura held out her left hand. He opened it palm-up and placed both of his hands underneath hers. At first, Sakura only felt the warmth of his body. Then she felt a throbbing pulse. The feeling intensified until her entire hand tingled and a glow erupted from her palm. A blue ball of swirling lights slowly formed and expanded like a bubble of air. She could feel the crackle of energy as the swirling ball twisted and turned. Then Naruto slowly removed his hands from beneath hers and the glowing ball shrunk; dissipating into the air.

"What was that?" Sakura asked, still feeling the pin-pricks of residual energy.

"That was my power."

"Wow, you have that type of power? That's incredible. What do you do with your powers?"

"Protect," Naruto smiled.

"You must be a great protector," Sakura said, impressed by his abilities.

Naruto frowned at her statement. "Thanks, but my powers are actually limited."

"Limited, how so?"

"My home is in danger of being destroyed. That's why I need you to help me."

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know how I could help you. I'm just a normal human being."

"But that's the thing. You actually can because you are a human."

"How is that even possible?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "It's going to take a while to explain everything. But here goes. My job as the resident nature spirit is to protect the mountains. It is my home and it is also the home to other spirits. We are always fighting to maintain balance between our lands and humans. We can coexist peacefully and have done so for many years, but there are times when the spirits need to protect their homes from them. If humans take away a spirit's home and tamper with the land's natural energy, then that spirit will fade away and vanish forever. As the protector for theKyuubiMountains, my job is to prevent that from happening. On my own, I am very powerful and have guarded the mountains for as long as I can remember. But humans have become more powerful. Humans have technology on their side. The mountains could easily be leveled in a night if someone malicious enough were to try."

"Could you fight them? I mean, the ones destroying your land?"

"One of my sisters tried, but it resulted in her death."

Sakura stared in shock. "How?"

"When she fought, the humans retaliated. They fumigated her lands and destroyed them. Her spirit form was the insect. When the humans killed all of the insect spirits, she did not last much longer. Now her home is a water resort and theme park."

"I'm so sorry."

Naruto shook his head. "I've gotten used to it. She wasn't the only one who's died. I have many other spirit brothers and sisters that have had their lands and lives fall to humans. To us, we thought all was lost. But one of my spirit brothers figured out how to increase his power and fully protect his lands over human technology. He did the one thing that no other nature spirit had ever done. Which is why I need you."

Sakura looked confused. "What did he do?"

"He took a human mate. Gaara bonded with Matsuri at a time when his desert home was about to be razed and leveled to make way for humans. He did it mainly out of an act of desperation to save the spirits he protected. But it worked. He now has the power to prevent his lands from being taken over. Besides Gaara, there are only a handful of protectors left when there used to be nine of us."

"How many are left?"

"Including me, three."

Sakura gasped. "How is it that you all can die?"

Naruto paused for a moment before answering. "Nature spirits can only exist in a place with natural energy. Once our lands are taken over by humans, we start losing our powers. First, the plants and animals either run away or die off. Then, the lesser spirits cease to be. Soon, there is nothing left for us to protect and in time, we fade away."

She could hear the raw pain in Naruto's voice. It saddened and angered her that he was distraught. Pulling him in for a hug, she wrapped her arms around his body. "I'm so sorry."

Naruto responded by tightening his arms around her. "Now you know why I'm so desperate."

"I know. But what was it about me? Why me and not some other girl in Konoha?"

He slowly pulled her back to look into her eyes. Their noses grazed and lips gently touched. He stated each reason between breathy kisses. "Because you are kind. Because you are strong. Because you are beautiful. Because I desire you."

Sakura let herself get lost in his sweet words. She let him strip off her robe and position her body until she straddled him. The kisses that he planted up and down her neck were slow and sensual. He was touching and feeling her as if she were made of porcelain. It was a sharp contrast to their previous couplings. The motions were meticulous and highly erotic. The slow-pace was a welcome reprieve for her body. It ignited something inside her that burned brighter with each glancing touch or whispered kiss.

Naruto gently pushed her down until she was laying on her back. His hands cupped her face as he kissed her. All of his actions had a deliberate tempo. He was moving to a slow, heartfelt melody. As he penetrated her, Sakura gasped at the sensuous sensations. Her body wasn't the only part of her singing in enjoyment. Her heart leapt with each push and pull. His kisses reached deep down into her soul. It was an experience she had never had whenever she was with Sasuke.

Her first orgasm hit her like nothing she had ever felt before. Usually her body and mind were disjointed in their experiences, but this time they were in synch. She could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes and the realization hit her hard. Naruto was making love to her. It was slow, sensual, and filled with his affections. She rode the wave of love and emotions; kissing him with the same feelings. She wasn't certain where all of her desires came from, but she knew that after hearing his story, her heart called out to him. She always had been a soft sentimentalist. It didn't take long for the pair to reach their peak together. The finale was earth-shattering. There was an energy in the room that lingered and left warm spots all over her body. She smiled as Naruto kissed her.

"Will you come with me? To the mountains? Will you be my mate?"

Sakura almost answered 'yes,' immediately. But she was a very rational girl and knew not to rush into things. "I don't know . . . I need time. There's so much that we don't know about each other. There's so much that I want to do. I can't make a commitment like that on the fly. So give me some time to think about it. Is that okay?"

"I can give you all the time in the world. As long as you let me stay with you, then I will wait forever if I have to," Naruto answered with a smile.

"Forever? You'll wait forever."

"I'll change your mind one day. You wait and see."

Sakura laughed. She hadn't felt this carefree and happy in a long time. She couldn't fathom leaving everything for a man she hardly knew. However, a small microscopic part of her couldn't wait to see the day when he proved her wrong.


	5. One Step Forward

**A/N:** Going to have to take a quick break from this story to work on a Father's Day fic and a gift fic for my husband for our anniversary. That and I'll be swamped with work. But the next chapter's been written, it just needs polishing.

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: One Step Forward<strong>

They spent the rest of the day talking. Sakura told Naruto all about her childhood: where she lived, her family and friends, and how she lost her parents a few years ago. It always hurt whenever she remembered their deaths. Her wounds had never healed completely. She still cried whenever she remembered that fateful phone call from the police. It had been a terrible accident, one that claimed the lives of more than just her parents. Sakura was fortunate that Ino's family had been more than willing to take her in. When Sakura asked Naruto if he had any relatives, his simple answer was that he wasn't sure. Apparently, he was raised by the forest spirits and didn't know how nature spirits were born.

As she narrated her life, she knew she had to talk about Sasuke, even if it pained her. After all, she and Sasuke lasted all through high school and college. They hadn't talked about getting married yet, but it was inevitable. All of their friends assumed that they would be the first to tie the knot.

That all changed when Sasuke went off on a family vacation to the Namikaze Summer Home. At first, he kept in touch with her while he was away. They chatted on the phone and emailed each other. But gradually, the communication slowed down and grinded to a complete halt a month into the trip. Sakura would constantly call and email, but never got a reply back. She assumed the worst, so she called Sasuke's brother only to learn that Itachi hadn't even gone on vacation with his family. He did reassure her that the family was safe, which was the only reprieve she got from that call.

It wasn't until Sasuke got back a month later that Sakura learned the cold, hard truth. He had gotten together with Naruko Namikaze while on vacation. He didn't even tell her that they were over before she accidentally came across them when she went to his apartment. It was after the Namikazes and the Uchihas had returned from their joint vacation. She had hoped to surprise Sasuke at his apartment; instead she was the one who got the surprise. When Sauske opened the door with Naruko standing beside him, she felt numb. The look of guilt on both of their faces was too much for her to bear. She had seen everything she needed to know: her hand in his, the glow of happiness, and the sounds of their laughter before they answered the door.

Naruto listened patiently to Sakura as she told him about how angry and depressed she became. She had avoided both Sasuke and Naruko, not even speaking to them. Her friends still kept tabs for her and confirmed that the pair were dating. Sakura told them not to let her situation affect their friendship with the couple, but Ino made it a point to ignore both Sasuke and Naruko. She had always been loyal to her through thick and thin. Hinata seemed to be the only one who remained in close contact with the couple. However, even the kind-hearted Hinata told them exactly how their actions hurt Sakura.

If there was anything that could help bring a smile to her face it was her friends. Unfortunatly, many were working or studying in other cities. Sakura told Naruto about some of them such as Neji, Shikamaru, TenTen, and Chouji. He was interested in hearing about their lives as well as Hinata's upcoming marriage to Chouji. When Sakura said something exciting, his eyes would light up with enthusiasm. It was endearing and made him look cute. When she talked about painful experiences in her past, he would hold her hand and gently squeeze it.

The pair talked the day away even past dinner. Sakura discovered that he was fascinated with her cooking. Apparently, of all of the interesting things people did, seeing people cook amazed him most.

"Why are you so interested in my cooking? I'm not the best chef out there. I know you've made lunch for yourself so it's not new to you." Sakura asked while they ate the stir-fry she whipped up.

"I know, but it's always so cool trying to think of the different things you can mix together to make a meal. In the forest, I usually don't cook my food, I just eat it. But humans, you chop, mince, mix, and prepare food in a way that's like art. And it's so delicious!"

Sakura laughed. "You and Chouji would get along great! He's an amazing chef."

"Do you think I could meet him?"

"I don't know about that. I mean, how would I even go about introducing you? You're a nature spirit. I can't tell my friends that."

"Why not?"

Sakura sighed. "Trust me. That's not how you introduce someone."

Naruto sulked for a minute before perking up. "How about if I come up with some elaborate back-story and introduce myself to your friends as your boyfriend?"

"That's sweet, but you're not technically my boyfriend," Sakura quickly put her hand up to stop his protests. "And even if you did ask. I'm not ready for a serious relationship with someone right now. Remember, I need time. It's only been a month since I found out that Sasuke was with Naruko. It's going to take much longer than that before I'm emotionally ready."

"But you're physically ready. Can I still have sex with you while you think it over?"

Sakura hit him on the arm. "I swear! All you ever think about is sex. You're lucky I've decided to keep you around as my life-sized human vibrator."

"Vibrator?" Naruto asked confused. "Oh! You mean like those long shaking rods that women stick inside themselves? That sounds like fun! Do you have one?"

"None of your business!"

"What? Why not? I want to try it."

Sakura leveled a glare at him. "I am not going to talk about this anymore and you are not going to come anywhere near me if you find it. Got it?"

Naruto transformed into a fox and put his head on her knee, looking up at her with soulful eyes. "Please?"

"That trick isn't going to work on me and you're not going to sex me up to convince me either."

Any further discussion on the matter was ended when Sakura made Naruto do the dishes. He offered to do them naked if it would make her happy. As tempting as it was, she declined. He stood in front of the sink like an obedient child wearing the same clothes as before. It was the only outfit Sasuke left behind and she refused to let him wear her clothes. She needed to go shopping with Naruto. Sasuke's clothes didn't suit him.

The phone rang and Sakura excused herself to answer it. Ino was on the other line to give her the details about the interview. She told her about the job site and all of the research projects they were planning. Sakura knew from the description that it would be an ideal place for her to intern or work part-time. So when Ino invited her to visit the site on Monday, Sakura accepted in a heart-beat. It was obvious that Ino had made a favorable impression on Jiraya if he hired her and was allowed the liberties of bringing a friend along. She already liked the company's business model. Perhaps that was why ICHA was one of the up-and-coming research facilities. Sakura couldn't wait to see how the company worked first-hand.

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><p>Once she hung-up, she came back into the kitchen to check on Naruto. What she saw made her stop in her tracks. He was holding a bowl filled with batter and using her purple vibrator to mix it. The buzzing noise from her favorite toy was the only sound in the kitchen.<p>

"What are you doing?"

Naruto smiled like a naïve child. "I'm trying to bake a cake. I found some cake mix and wanted to try it."

She stood in shock uncertain of whether or not she should tell him that he was using the wrong kitchen equipment. Before Sakura got a chance to say anything, he did the unthinkable. Pulling the vibrator out of the batter, he stuck it in his mouth and licked the thick yellow liquid that was dripping off. Her face flushed and her knees nearly gave-out.

"Man, this stuff tastes great! Want to try some?" Naruto held the vibrator out to her with globs of batter all over it.

Her first instinct was to walk straight up to him and lick it like a champ while giving him suggestive looks. But she had no doubt that if she did that, cake batter would end up all over their bodies and she would renege on her statement of making sure that he wouldn't go near her with a vibrator. She decided to keep her libido in check because she did have some restraint left in her: some.

"You know, cake batter has raw egg in it, which can make you sick."

"Really? But it tastes so good."

"I know. But traditionally, you lick the bowl after you've put the cake in the oven; not before. Here, let me help you."

Sakura did her best to keep her eyes and thoughts off of the sex toy in Naruto's hands. He was none the wiser of what he was really using and she hoped to keep it that way. She was lucky that once they finished baking the cake, he didn't think to use the vibrator as an eating utensil. If she saw Naruto put it in his mouth one more time, she was certain that she would jump him, strip his pants down, and start sucking him off.

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><p>Normally, Sakura enjoyed lectures. She loved to learn and her grades proved it. But she was distracted today. There were a number of reasons: one being the visit to the ICHA facility and the other being Naruto. She hated leaving him alone in her apartment. To make sure he was occupied, she gave him all of her textbooks to read, which surprisingly excited him. Apparently, he loved books as they were hard to come by in the forest.<p>

Sakura made a mental note to show him where she kept her novels. She briefly wondered if she should have taught him how to work the washing machine so he could do her laundry. That was something to teach him later tonight, if time permitted and they didn't get carried away with other activities.

Spotting Ino's car, she walked over and noticed that Ino had two other people with her.

"Hey Sakura! Let me introduce you to Kiba and Shino. Guys, this is my friend, Sakura."

"Pleased to meet you." Sakura said shaking their hands.

They exchanged pleasantries and learned that they were all in the graduate program at Anbu University. Both Kiba and Shino had done their undergraduate studies in Wave country before moving to Konoha. They all piled into Ino's car and drove off towards the mountains. The trip was pleasant as the boys told Sakura about the different fields they studied.

"So I hear that you picked-up a fox?" Kiba asked Sakura.

"Yeah, I was drunk when I did that."

"What sort of traits and characteristics have you noticed about him?"

Sakura thought for a moment, trying to come up with the best little white lie. "He sort of reminds me of a puppy. He's constantly craving my attention and when he does something wrong, his ears lay flat on his face and he tries to give me this pitiful look. He's almost domesticated."

Kiba laughed. "That doesn't surprise me. Since the foxes in the mountains have co-existed with man for so long, they've picked up habits. We actually have a lot of foxes that come up to the facility and watch us. I think because people go up and feed them food whenever they hike, they've learned not to fear us."

"That may be where he gets it. He certainly knows a lot for something that lived in the woods all of his life. How much human interaction is up in the mountains?"

"The Kyuubi Mountains used to be just a campground that hikers went to. But now more maintenance has been done here," Kiba pointed out the car. "See this road we're on. It used to be a dirt road. But now it's paved giving more open access for people to come up to the mountains. There are public restrooms along the road and picnic areas, which is a good thing if you're a friendly hiker wanting to explore nature. But because of it, a lot of developers have starting to eye the mountain as an area to build commercial or residential lots."

"And that's where we come in," Shino said. "ICHA is devoted to trying to find some natural vegetation or wildlife that is an indigenous species to the mountain. Jiraya has been petitioning the government to make the land a national park so that developers can't touch it. But the politicians don't think that there's anything up here that needs government protection. We've been trying to discover something that we can bring to them as part of an argument for preserving the land."

Kiba nodded. "There's also a biology department that's working to find the cure for cancer and other stuff. They use the local plants and animals in their research. Besides that being the main source of our income, it would also give the government more evidence to grant protection."

Sakura was amazed by what she heard. She had already known about ICHA's biology department and what they were doing. It was the reason why she became interested in the company. They had been working on developing medicines for various diseases for years, but she hadn't heard about their conservation efforts. It made sense since the company prided itself on doing as little damage to the environment when it collected samples to conduct their research.

When they finally got to the facility, she was amazed to see the place was built like a large campsite. Each building was made out of logs with solar panels attached to the roofs. There were several greenhouses that housed large trees and plants. A fenced in pen held several horses in it as well as a few wild turkeys. It was hard to imagine that a company developing medicine was situated in such rough conditions. Sakura thought it was wonderful.

"Welcome to ICHA!" Kiba said as he helped her out of the car.

Sakura turned to Ino with a look of jealously. "Lucky."

"I know," Ino smirked. "Wait until you see the labs. You're going to wet yourself."

Just as they were about to make their way to the labs, a feminine shriek stopped them in their tracks. Out of the woods, a red-haired woman with glasses raced out and hid behind Kiba and Shino.

"Don't tell him I'm here. Pretend you never sawme." The woman whispered pulling both Sakura and Ino closer to conceal her body in a barricade of people.

"Ino, Sakura, this girl right here isKarin," Kiba explained.

Karin shushed Kiba and dipped her head down just as a man in a green outfit ran out of the woods.

"Where are you my most beautiful flower? I was assigned to escort you through the woods and I will do it to my utmost duty!" the man shouted.

After seeing what he was wearing and how oddly shaped his eyebrows were, Sakura could understand why the poor girl was hiding from him. He glanced over the group and then proceeded to run off towards the other side of the campground.

When the coast was clear, Shino stepped to the side and let Karin out. "Lee's gone now. You can come out."

Karin breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks guys. I owe you one."

Kiba shrugged. "No prob. But Karin, meet Ino and Sakura. Ino was the one that Jiraya hired yesterday. She's going to work with Kurenai on the plants. Sakura is Ino's friend. She's tagging along to see the facility."

Karin smiled as she shook their hands. "Nice to meet you. I'm one of the animal trackers here. Kiba and I put tracking devices on the wild animals and monitor them."

"The guy you saw running off in green, he's Lee. He's part of our security team," Kiba said.

Karin pointed to Sakura. "You might want to stay away from him. He has a fetish for pink and red. If you catch his eye, then you're never going to hear the last of him."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Out of the blue, Lee ran into the group, wedging himself between Sakura andKarin.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." Lee held Karin's hand close to his chest.

Before Lee could get in another word, Karin punched him in the face. He landed on the ground out cold. "Shit! Jiraya's going to be pissed that I knocked him out again."

"You know the more you do that the more persistent he gets," Kiba said crouching down to check onLee. "He's still alive."

Shino grabbed Lee's legs while he and Kiba carried the unconscious man to a nearby bench. A few other ICHA workers had come out after hearing the commotion and helped the group as if it was a daily occurance.

With the drama finally over, the ICHA workers continued to lead them around the campsite showing them the various research areas as well as the different research groups. It was incredibly fascinating. She knew she had to talk to Jiraya the first chance she got. If she was lucky, then she would also be able to work here part-time along with Ino.

"You're killing me here, this is the best I can do," Jiraya sighed.

"I know, but there isn't much lee-way I can give you. You know how my father is. Business is business. The loans that you have will cover the permits for your campsite, but it's not enough to purchase the entire land. Unfortunately, Akatsuki Corporation is already looking into acquiring the financing to purchase the land. It's only a matter of time."

"If Tsunade hadn't gambled away her trust fund, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess."

"I heard that!" Tsunade said stepping into the room. She smacked Jiraya behind the head as she took a seat at the table. "I'm not the one who spent all of their royalties from those perverted novels of yours on solar panels."

"Hey! Those panels were well worth it! Our electric bill has dwindled down to practically nothing." It was an excellent point since Tsunade couldn't offer any retort and privately, she liked the solar panels too.

"Good to see you again, Itachi. I hope that you're well," Tsunade smiled.

Itachi nodded his head. "Very. Thank you for the concern."

"I hope you've been getting plenty of rest and exercise. All the stress of your regular job and being our financial advisor can't be good for you."

"I'm only stressed every three months when I'm trying to get my clients' quarterly reports done. It is no trouble at all for me to help."

"Tsunade, we need to get more money somehow. Any luck on your tests?" Jiraya asked.

The woman shook her head. "Not yet. At least nothing that's ready for peer review. Maybe in a few months."

"That won't be enough time unfortunately," Itachi said. "One of my other clients has already expressed interest in the land. I already mentioned this to Jiraya, but it's Akatsuki Corporation."

Tsunade slammed her fist on the table. "Damn it! Those are the scum that tried to build in the Suna deserts, aren't they?"

Itachi nodded his head. "The deal actually went through and the project was shovel ready, but then those series of sandstorms came through and now the project has been shelved until the conditions improve."

"At least they haven't started. They've already completed five developments and are in the process of finishing up another," Jiraya said pulling out some notes. "According to my sources, they're also thinking of breaking ground over at Lightning Lakes."

"Are you serious? There are over hundreds of new species of marine life that our local team found there last year. There's no telling how many more there are."

Itachi looked down at his papers before speaking. "If I may give you one suggestion?"

Tsunade and Jiraya turned to listen to him.

"You could liquidate the ICHA facility in Lightning Lakes and use those funds to at least purchase parts of the land to help preserve the Kyuubi Mountains. I crunched the numbers and you come about half-way to the projected dollar amount you need. It doesn't fill the full amount, but it's a start. If you combined that with fundraisers or donations, you might be able to do it. The least you can do is secure the surrounding lands around this facility so you won't have to purchase additional permits."

Tsunade thought for a moment. She didn't want to give-up the site at the Lightning Lakes, not so soon after downsizing the Suna location. But preserving the Kyuubi Mountains took precedence. Her grandmother's family used to live in the small shrine at the foot of the mountains and had protected the animals and plant-life. Her grandparents always emphasized to her how important it was to preserve and conserve the little you had. It was her duty to keep the mountains safe.

Though she never wanted to be a shrine-maiden, she found her own way to honor her family's wishes through ICHA. By showing the world the important plant-life and animal species in the Kyuubi Mountains, she hoped to keep it free from strip miners or land developers. ICHA's geological team had determined that there weren't any precious metals or coal in the mountain; much to her relief. However, that wouldn't deter commercial developers.

"Itachi, do you think there's anyway we could petition the government to expand the borders of the shrine's historical preservation edict? Perhaps by arguing that the shrine was meant to protect the entire mountain?"

"I believe that the Namikazes have already made that argument to the government. I'm afraid that there is little that they can do without a more substantial reason."

"What good is that protégé of yours if he can't get anything done?" Tsunade said to Jiraya.

"Minato is trying. He's found out the hard way that even if you lead the government, there's only so much you can do without committee approval. Besides, wasn't it your niece who gave-up her position as the last shrine-maiden? If she were still there, maybe we wouldn't be in this predicament?"

Tsunade shot Jiraya a look. "And whose protégé was it that seduced my niece? If it weren't for him, Kushina would probably have stayed at the shrine."

"Even at the shrine, she would have been powerless to stop anyone from buying the land," Itachi interjected. "As it is, she probably is in the best position as a politician's wife to sway the public and the government. Her influence is what has helped ICHA retain its facilities through her nonprofits."

Tsunade sighed. "Then I guess we have no choice. We'll have to transfer the research staff here and the geologists to the Rock location. I've been notified already by Orochimaru that the ICHA site there was having trouble keeping their permits."

"That would be Akatsuki's doing. They've been buying up permits and leases on lands before the previous owners can renew. That's why I've done something for you all that will at least keep this facility safe. I used my trust fund to purchase the land for ICHA. Now no other corporation can take ownership of this area until you decide to sell it." Itachi handed them the deed to the lands.

"Itachi, you shouldn't have," Tsunade said taking the papers with shaking fingers.

"I wanted to. It was the least I could do."

Jiraya patted Itachi on the back. "And there's nothing we can do that could possibly repay you for your generosity. It's just a shame that you can't work for us full-time."

"You know my father. But I'm afraid that this may be the last time I can consult you," Itachi said pulling out some papers. "Because of the upcoming deal with Akatsuki Corporation, they've assigned all of the high-level workers on the case, including me. I have to hand you my resignation. It's more a matter of formality and documentation."

"It's not like you let us pay you anyway. How were you able to let that fly with your father?" Jiraya asked.

"I told him that it would be a way for me to train without jeopardizing any paying clients."

Tsunade held her hand out. "It was good working with you. I'd wish you luck on your next project, but you know how I feel about that."

"Understandable."

"Good luck to ya kid. Keep in touch," Jiraya said shaking Itachi's hand.

The two directors of ICHA watched sadly as Itachi left the cabin. He was a great asset to the organization and if not for the fact that he was an official employee of Uchiha, Incorporated, he would have been an asset to ICHA.

"You know what this means right?" Jiraya asked.

"Yes, we're coming up to the final battle losing one of our strongest players."

"No, that's not what I meant. It means that Orochimaru is going to have to transfer back here. I'm not looking forward to that," the man said with a shudder.

"Oh stop that. He stopped hitting on you after you gave him an autographed copy of one of your perverted novels. Besides, he has a boyfriend."

"Still . . . if he starts giving me those looks again and asking to take showers with me, I'm going to get him a cabin built especially for him on the other side of the mountain. Preferably near the Valley of End."

"We might want to do that anyway. His boyfriend is his lab assistant."

Jiraya buried his head in his hands trying his best to keep the images of Orochimaru and his lab assistant together. He had plans for his next Make-out tactics series to take place in a laboratory, but now he had to scrap them. It was a shame because he had outlined the plot and everything too.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **The next chapter will contain more Itachi and some Narusaku goodness.


	6. The Storyteller

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait. Here's an extra long chapter to make up for it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Storyteller<strong>

His briefcase weighted him down; a heavy chain of responsibility around his neck. He didn't want to resign as their financial advisor. It was an unfortunate consequence of being put on the Akatsuki project. One of the hard and fast rules he learned early in his career was that he didn't get to choose his clients. Even if he despised them, he had to do the job to the best of his abilities because he was a professional.

As he made his way to the small parking lot, he was startled to see Sakura. He hadn't spoken to her since that ill-fated phone call about Sasuke. It was unfortunate that his foolish younger brother broke-up with her the way he did. He didn't think that Sasuke had the bravery or tact to even tell Sakura what happened. Itachi had always been the insightful older brother. It looked like he needed to clear the air with Sakura for him. Though his parents preferred Naruko over Sakura, he didn't.

"Sakura!" Itachi waved to her.

Sakura turned to him with a surprised expression on her face. "Itachi! What are you doing here? I haven't spoken to you in forever."

The pair hugged and exchanged pleasantries. Itachi had always been the friendliest one in Sasuke's family. It was unfortunate that Sasuke always felt the need to compete with his older brother. From her conversations with Itachi, he never thought that Sasuke had to best him. Only Sasuke believed he had something to prove: to show his father that he was a good son; one to be proud of.

"What brings you here today?" Itachi asked.

"Ino just got a job with ICHA. She and a few other employees wanted to show me the site. I didn't know that ICHA was one of your clients."

"Was, unfortunately," Itachi sighed. "I had to hand in my resignation today. Uchiha, Inc. is taking on a big client and our interests' conflict. My father requested that I drop ICHA since I was working for no pay."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sakura said. Neither one had addressed the elephant in the room yet: Sasuke.

Itachi knew that if it were up to Sakura, she would probably never bring him up. "Have you talked with Sasuke yet?"

"No."

"He really is a fool. I'm sorry that it ended the way it did."

"I know. I just wish that he would have broken up with me first before getting another girlfriend."

Itachi took a deep breath before speaking. "It wasn't entirely his fault."

Sakura looked at Itachi in disbelief. "How so?"

"I learned about it after they got back from the Namikaze Summer Home. Sasuke recently figured it out. Even if he knew in advance, I feel the results would have been the same."

"What is it?"

"First off, I want to let you know that none of this is your fault. My family is just . . . very traditional," Itachi took a deep breath. "As you know, my family and the Namikazes have always been close. My mother and Kushina became best friends in grade school and have remained so ever since. Though the Namikazes aren't as traditional as the Uchihas, they do believe in the strong bond of friendship. My mother and Kushina had been trying for years for one of us to date the Namikazes' only child."

"An arranged marriage? With Naruko? I didn't think anyone did that anymore."

"They don't. And it wasn't exactly an arranged marriage. More like heavy encouragement. At first they tried to set Naruko up with me. That ended quickly," Itachi laughed. "We stared each other down for a few minutes before both walking off. It was a disaster before it even started."

"Naruko doesn't really strike me as the type to agree to date anyone her parents suggested."

"That's true. Minato and Kushina figured that out after the failure with me. They weren't sure what to do with Sasuke because he was dating you at the time. But my mother was still hung-up on the idea of joining our families through marriage. It was a testament to how much of a friend she thought Kushina was: that she still had a desire to unite the families."

"So they planned the vacation," Sakura whispered.

Itachi nodded. "The way they pitched it, it sounded like a regular family vacation. For all intents and purposes, it was. The only thing was that there were small things that my mother and Kushina had made some plans in advance. The Namikaze estate includes a small cabin out in the middle of a lake. The only way to get to it was by boat. They took both Sasuke and Naruko out to the cabin and left them there, taking away all of their phones, laptops, and any other means of communication."

"They trapped them there? What were they thinking? How long were they there?"

"A month. My mother assured me that they would survive. There was running water, the fridge was stocked, and there were plenty of fish in the lake for them to catch. My mother and Kushina figured that they couldn't set them up on a date or make it obvious, so they utilized the most extreme measures to get them together."  
>"I can't believe it. And their plan worked. How did they know?"<p>

"They didn't. They took a huge gamble doing that. I think it was Kushina's idea. I didn't think that it would work either, but it did."

"Has Sasuke told you about what happened on the island that month?"

Itachi shook his head. "The only thing he's told me is that what he feels for Naruko is real and something that he hadn't felt before."

Sakura crossed her arms in front of her and turned away. She didn't want to cry, not again. It was crushing to know that the man she dated for so long had found someone better. She did love him. You don't stay with someone that long without falling in love. It was a blow to her pride to hear that he may not have felt the same. "Thank you for telling me."

"Sakura." Itachi put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I always thought you were going to be my sister-in-law. Sasuke did care for you. He told me so. I think you helped him weather some of his more intolerable years. I have no doubt that if it weren't for my mother and Kushina's meddling, you both would have eventually gotten married."

"But he's with Naruko now. It's kind of hard to imagine him ever proposing if all it took was one month with another woman to change his mind."

"Perhaps in another life, in another time, it would have worked out. I've always thought that life worked in mysterious ways. Maybe you two weren't meant to be, or there's someone else out there that's better for you. Just look at this event as a catalyst. You're free now to find the right guy."

"Let's hope so," Sakura shrugged. She turned back to face Itachi and gave him another hug. "Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm glad I finally know why. I don't know if I'm better off without him or not, but at least I know that it wasn't because of something I did."

"Call me if you ever need someone to talk to. I still consider you my friend."

"Thanks Itachi. Take care!"

"Same to you. Good-bye Sakura."

She waved to him and watched as he pulled away in his car. She felt a little empty inside. It was hard to think about how Sasuke was tricked into dating Naruko. It felt cheap. Sasuke couldn't have truly loved her if he was able to fall in love with another woman in less than a month. He didn't even have enough restraint to break it off with her first before jumping into Naruko's arms. Perhaps it had been a blessing in disguise that it happened. She could have easily seen herself getting married to Sasuke and then finding out later than they weren't meant to be. That would have been disastrous. It was better to get the worst over while she was still young and hadn't completely committed herself.

Ino walked up to Sakura after Itachi had left. "Hey Sakura, what did Itachi want?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted to tell me that he thought Sasuke was an idiot for dumping me and that he still considered me a friend."

"Ah, that's sweet of him." Ino grabbed Sakura's arm. "Come on, Jiraya's cabin is just around the corner. I want to introduce you to him."

The news perked Sakura up and she raced alongside Ino to a cabin in the middle of the site. It looked like any of the other cabins. The only major difference was that this one had the word 'Headquarters' emblazoned on the front. Ino knocked and was let in by a woman with short blue hair.

"Hello, Ino. Good to see you again."

"Same here Ma'am. Oh, this here is my friend Sakura. We were hoping to meet with Jiraya."

The woman opened the door wider letting the two girls inside. "Please, just call me Konan. I feel old when people call me Ma'am. Jiraya is in a meeting with someone right now, but if you girls would like to take a seat, I can let him know you're here."

They did as they were told and perused the literature decorating the office. Most of the pamphlets were quick reference guides for those who didn't know what the company did. There were others that profiled the company's goals and accomplishments. It was very business-oriented: a complete contrast to the laid-back attitude of the staff. But that was to be expected when a company wanted to give their donors and clients a sense of professionalism.

What happened next completely blew Sakura's mind. One of the most well respected and renowned medical professionals in the world walked out of Jiraya's office. Sakura had read up on her during her studies and knew she was listed as one of the company's directors. It was no surprise to find that the woman was just as beautiful and imposing in person as she was in her pictures. She emitted a no-nonsense attitude that garnered respect and admiration. TsunadeSenjuhad single-handedly made medical breakthroughs with her intelligence and quick-thinking. Sakura knew that she had to get a job with ICHA after seeing Doctor Senju. Working so close to her idol would be a dream come true.

"Jiraya is ready to see you now," Konan came over to tell the girls.

Ino and Sakura walked into the office as Jiraya greeted them at the door. "Ah! Ino! Beautiful as ever. And who's the lovely lady that you've brought with you today?"

"Sakura Haruno, sir." Sakura extended her hand.

Jiraya shook it, noticing her firm grip. "It's a pleasure to meet . Please ladies, have a seat." The girls sat down on the chairs facing his cluttered desk. "So what brings you here today? I hope you haven't decided to change your mind about the job offer," Jiraya said to Ino.

"Oh no! Not that at all. I can't wait to start. I was actually here to introduce you to my friend Sakura who was also interested in any open positions."

"Oh, I see," Jiraya smiled before addressing Sakura. "What sort of position would you be hoping for?"

"Somewhere in the research department. I'm currently a graduate student atAnbuUniversitygetting my Masters in Biology."

"Quite impressive," Jiraya nodded. He looked down at his notes from his earlier meeting and frowned. "Unfortunately, we don't have any open positions available in the research department. One of our senior researchers from another ICHA site is being transferred back here and he's bringing his entire research team with him. There is a slight possibility that not all of his team will accept a transfer. But I spoke with him a few minutes ago and he seems pretty confidant that everyone will be coming. I'm sorry Sakura, there's nothing I can offer you right now."

Sakura felt her heart sink to the bottom of her feet. "I can take an unpaid internship. My parents left me an inheritance so I don't need the money. I just want the experience."

Jiraya shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't even offer you that. Once we add the other researchers, our facility will be at full capacity."

She had hoped that there would be an opening since Ino had gotten a job so easily, but she tended to forget that Ino had a completely different specialization. It was just her luck that she would go home empty handed. "I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for your time."

Jiraya looked at the girl in sympathy. He always hated having to reject a willing worker, especially if she was pretty and young. "No, the apology is all mine. I wish I could offer you an opening, I really do. Though, I heard from Ino that you really enjoy one of my novels, is that right?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, I do. Thank you for signing my book. I really appreciate it."

"You know, I think there's something I can give to you so you don't go home empty handed." Jiraya pulled open a filing cabinet. After going through the drawer, he took out a framed picture. "It's a print of the cover art for my novel. The artist signed this one and framed it for me, but I already have the original painting hanging up in my house. I'd like you to have it."

"Wow, this is amazing. Thank you so much," Sakura said taking the picture. She gawked at the drawing. Naruto was staring back at her. She had forgotten how much he resembled the main character of Jiraya's novel. "Was there anyone who modeled for the artist?"

"There wasn't. I had to give a detailed description of the main character to him and he did all of the work. Believe it or not, Naruto is actually based off of someone."

"Really? Who?"

Jiraya looked a little uncomfortable before he finally answered. "He was based off of Minato andKushinaNamikazes' first child. Or at least, what he would have looked like if he had survived. He would have been around your age."

Sakura and Ino gasped. In all of the time they had known the Namikazes and Naruko, they had never known that. "What happened to him?" Sakura asked curiously.

"The poor boy was stillborn. There were some complications with the birth. It was pretty tragic for the family. They were going to name him Naruto after reading my novel. I was going to be his god-father. The news hurt me as much as it did them. So, when my publishing company decided to reprint the novel with new cover art, I requested an artist make a rendition of what Naruto would have looked like and this is what we got."

"He really does look like he would be related to Naruko. Where did the idea for the whisker marks come from? They're never described in the book," Sakura asked.

"That was Kushina's idea. When she first saw the picture, she thought he looked too much like Minato, so she suggested the whisker marks to give Naruto a more distinctive look. I personally think it was her ties to the Kyuubi Mountain, but he did look a lot like Minato."

"Thank you so much for the picture. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem. Anything for a fan. You're always welcome to visit if you'd like. Best of luck to you," Jiraya said shaking Sakura's hand. "See you this weekend, Ino!"

The girls said their good-byes and made their way out of the office. Konan greeted them and showed them to the door. The day hadn't turned out as expected, but at least she got something out of it. The picture had an interesting back-story; one that she was not likely to ever forget.

"Do you think it would have been interesting if Naruko's brother lived?" Ino asked.

"It would have. Though it's really hard picturing how he would have acted. Naruko's such a brash girl. It's weird seeing Naruto like that."

"Because he looks so much like his father?"

Sakura nodded. "That. And also because the character in the book is kind of a bad-ass."

"That would be nice. Image dating him or crushing on him in high school," Ino teased.

Sakura laughed. "That wouldn't have happened. It would have been him with the crush on me."

"Well someone thinks highly of herself. What if he had the crush on me?" Ino said fluttering her eyebrows before breaking out into laughter.

"He probably would have grown-up to be an annoying little shit. It's kind of sad when you stop and think about it. I wonder if Naruko knows."

"I could time I see her. She sometimes drops by my parents' shop."

Sakura cringed. "I don't know Ino. How would you tactfully ask her? 'I heard you lost a child a long time ago, want to talk about it?'"

"Point taken. I'll just ask my parents. They knew her back then. Maybe they know."

Sakura nodded. "That's probably the best solution. You know, I kind of feel bad for Naruko now. I mean, I still hate her guts for stealing Sasuke from me. But after today, I kind of feel sorry for her."

"That's good. I'd hate having to walk on eggshells around both of you forever. Sorry the job didn't work out."

"Hey, it's not your fault."

The girls met back up with Kiba and Shino at the car and relayed the bad news. The two boys felt bad that Sakura wouldn't be joining them at ICHA, but promised to take her up with them as many times as she liked since she had an open invitation. The group dropped her off at her apartment. She wondered what Naruto was doing. She felt guilty having to leave him in the apartment by himself. He had her books to keep him company, but she doubted it would occupy him for much longer. Looking at the picture, she wondered even more about him and where he came from. It was something she would have to ask him later.

* * *

><p>When Sakura entered her apartment, she was surprised to find Naruto sitting on the couch reading <em>Our Bodies, Ourselves<em>. It was a gift from her mother when she hit puberty. Sasuke had always looked at her funny whenever he saw her with it. As she watched Naruto holding the book, she tried and failed to repress her laughter. At least he had the decency to put on clothes today.

"Hey Naruto, I see you've kept yourself entertained."

Naruto pulled the book down and looked at Sakura. Then his eyes traveled down to her stomach and back up. "I am so sorry."

Sakura shook her head. "It's okay. You get used to having a uterus after a while. So, how was your day?"

Naruto put the book down and started going through the laundry list of things he did. He figured out how to use the shower and after reading a book on oral hygiene, brushed and flossed his teeth. After reading one of her cookbooks, he wanted to an omelet, but accidentally broke her special purple mixer when he washed it in the sink. Sakura had to keep herself from giggling out loud. She'd mourn the destruction of her vibrator later. He eventually fixed himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For the next five minutes he told her how much he had always wanted to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because he always saw school-kids eating them for lunch.

Sakura nodded when he told her about how he figured out how to work some of her electronics, such as her CD player and television. But all of the shows that aired were too boring and Sakura noted that it was prime-time for daytime soaps. Then he went over the list of books he read: a few history textbooks, some instruction manuals for her appliances, and then there was the book he was reading when she came in.

"Sounds like you had a busy day. I bet you're hungry, right?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Can I help cook?"

"Only if you listen to everything I say and wash your hands before you help."

Sakura let her mind get into the zone as she instructed Naruto on what to do. He knew how to turn on the rice cooker and helped her preheat the pan. She wasn't ready for him to chop up any meats or veggies. He didn't mind though. He loved watching her skillfully move the knife across the cutting board. She let him set the table after telling him what order all of the utensils should be placed. It was nice having someone helping her in the kitchen. Sasuke couldn't boil water to save his life. She had forbidden him from even touching the rice cooker when he nearly short-circuited it once. Naruto, on the other hand, was a huge help.

They sat and ate while Naruto continued to tell her about what he learned. "I never knew that babies were made that way. I'd always hear mothers tell their kids that some bird brought them a baby after they got pregnant and fat. It explains everything and makes so much more sense. Where the hell did the idea of the stork come from?"

"Probably from some poor mother who wasn't ready to talk to their kids about sex."

"Why? It's a perfectly natural act."

"You'll find out quickly that some people like to make things more complicated than they need to be."

Naruto scrunched his face in confusion. "Animals are so much easier. They eat when they're hungry and fuck when they're in heat. So how was your day Sakura? What did you do?"

With a forced smile, Sakura relayed her classes and then the trip up to the ICHA site. She told him about her conversation with Itachi and how there weren't any job openings. She tried to sound excited when she talked about the picture that Jiraya gave her, but the memories of Itachi's talk and the rejection of the ICHA job made her voice sound flat.

Naruto sensed her mood and frowned. Her face lacked that brilliant light and her eyes were dull. He wanted her to smile again. Her smiles suited her and made him happy. His eyes lit up with an idea. He motioned for Sakura to stand up. She looked at him curiously and followed him out of the kitchen. He rearranged some of the chairs and the coffee table until there was a large space in the living room.

"Naruto, what are you doing?"

He smiled, turned toward her, and began to act. "It was not my intention to scare you. I'm on an important mission and happened upon your shrine."

Sakura recognized the lines immediately. "When did you memorize . . .?"

"If I had known that someone lived here, I would have knocked."

Remembering the next line, she pretended she was a shrine maiden and Naruto, a ninja. "That doesn't change the fact that you should not be here. This is a sacred place only for those who are pure of heart."

"I assure you my lady, my intentions are pure. Though I could never compare to the purity that I see before me."

Sakura blushed, much like how the character in the book was supposed to. "I am no different than any other girl. I simply choose to live a simple life here at the shrine."

"A simple, but honorable life. Though I fear that my presence here will put you in danger."

"Are you now saying that you are a dangerous man?"

"Only to those who threaten this peaceful place or those who wish to do you any harm."

"Then I am grateful that your intentions are pure. Please stay the night kind stranger and rest. I insist and will not accept any answer except 'yes.'"

"You trust me, yet hardly know me. Why?"

"The spirits here tell me that you should stay. That my fate is tied to yours."

"Then we must not upset the spirits of this shrine."

Naruto took her hand into his and slowly started to glide her across the living room floor. The book didn't really describe exactly how the couple danced. Instead Jiraya had used metaphors to explain their flowing movements and emotional connection. A small part of Sakura thought that he was probably also insinuating that the shrine maiden and the ninja had sex, but that was all subject to interpretation. Given the smutty novels he wrote after _Legend of the Gutsy Ninja_, there was a strong possibility she was right.

The pair ended their dance and Naruto smiled. "Did that make you feel better?"

Sakura nodded. "It was very sweet of you. Did you memorize the entire book?"

"Nah. Just that one scene."

"I've only ever memorized that scene too. It's my favorite. Though I don't think that their dance ended up quite like that."

Naruto smiled. "In that case, I'll learn how to dance. Let's start now. Can you show me?"

"I don't know. I'm not much of a dancer and we don't have any music." Sakura looked down at her feet.

He took her hands in his and pulled her close. "Then let's make up our own type of dancing. I'll sing."

"Okay," Sakura laughed.

The pair danced and Naruto tried to sing a song: tried. Occasionally, Sakura would lead and try to teach Naruto any sort of dance moves she knew, but most of the time they simply swayed in the living room. Sakura took a turn singing after hearing Naruto's voice crackle one too many times. He loved hearing her sing; even if it was to songs that she only knew a few of the lyrics. The couple laughed, sang, and danced the night away.

"What brought this on?" Sakura asked after they finally took a break on the couch.

"You looked sad. I didn't want to see you look like that anymore so I thought I'd cheer you up." Naruto nuzzled her neck.

"Thanks. That was very thoughtful. I feel a lot better."

"Better enough for sex?" Naruto inched his hands under her shirt.

"Not quite. You'll have to do some more convincing."

Naruto gave her a predatory smirk. "I think I can do that."

Lips met and hands pulled at clothing. The pair moved from the couch to the living room floor. Naruto had managed to pull Sakura's shirt off. Sakura squealed, pushing him away briefly to unhook her bra and toss it off to the side. Naruto's mouth descended before her bra even hit the floor. She sighed in pleasure while trying to pull Naruto's shirt off. Hands were reaching frantically to belt buckles and zippers. It only took a few more minutes before both had finally stripped themselves of the rest of their clothes.

Sakura watched Naruto wet his fingers with his saliva before inserting them. He kissed her and she screamed into his mouth. She lifted her hips off the ground and moaned deeply when she came.

Gasping for air, Sakura watched Naruto lick his fingers, letting his tongue glide over each glistening drop. He barely gave her time to recover before entering her. The sensations were incredible. At least until she the carpet started chafing her lower back.

"Naruto," Sakura whined.

"Hm?"

Sakura bit back a groan. "My back. The carpet."

Naruto nodded his head and lifted her hips off the ground until only her shoulders were touching the carpet. It didn't take long before she came again, wildly thrashing her legs in the air. Naruto put her down gently.

She sat-up and pushed Naruto back. "Couch."

He kept his eyes on her as he slowly walked backwards to the couch. Sakura tried to keep her eyes locked on his, but found herself looking down. Once he sat down, Sakura pounced. She didn't even wait for him to get ready before she started. She smirked when she heard him growl at her for being impatient. It wasn't like he was complaining much with the way his face scrunched up in pleasure.

Sakura took over the pace. She would sometimes tease him with slow sensual movements, only to speed it up when she was about to come. He let her ride him on the couch until she came twice. He was ready to regain control. Grabbing her, he urged her to wrap her arms around his neck while he stood.

"Have you ever fucked standing up?"

Sakura shook her head, a small look of fear in her eyes. She tightened her grip.

"Good. Me neither."

"Naruto! I'm . . . I'm going to fall," Sakura gasped.

"I won't drop you, I promise. Just come for me and scream my name."

The pleasure was incredible. Sakura loved the feel of her body floating through the air. She trusted him to keep her safe and steady while he made her body soar. Her next orgasm came hard and fast. She practically pulled Naruto's hair out when she screamed his name into his ear. She was certain that she hurt him, but her actions only turned him on even more.

Keeping a firm grip on her, Naruto walked to the bedroom and placed her on the edge of the bed. She gripped the bed sheets nearly ripping them when Naruto sent her over the edge one last time.

Naruto planted his hands on either side of Sakura's head and smiled down at her while she gazed up at him in a blissful haze. "I hope that this made your day."

"It did. That and the picture Jiraya gave me. That reminds me. I have something to show you."

Carefully, the pair disengaged. Naruto didn't even bother putting on any clothes whereas Sakura threw on her shirt after finding it on the floor. She pulled out Jiraya's picture and sat with Naruto on the bed.

"Before I left the office, Jiraya gave me this framed picture. It's the cover art for his novel. He told me more about the guy in the picture."

Naruto's ears twitched with interest. "Really? What did you learn?"

"He was modeled after the stillborn son of the Namikazes. They're a well-respected family in Konoha and Naruko's parents. The father, Minato, is the mayor. The mother, Kushina, used to be a shrine maiden at the Uzumaki shrine. It's at the base of the Kyuubi Mountains. She was the one who wanted to put the whisker marks on the main character. Don't you think it's funny how the guy looks exactly like you?"

"I guess. I never thought of it that way. I always thought it was cool," Naruto scratched the side of his face.

"So how did you come up with your human form? Did you see this picture once and chose it?"

Naruto crossed his arms and closed his eyes in concentration. He cocked his head to one side and then another before answering. "I really don't know. I think I've always looked like this whenever I turned into a human. I don't have a mirror so I never thought much about how I look."

"That's really interesting. I wonder what influenced you to take this shape then. Do you think Kushina may have seen you as a fox-spirit?"

"Possibly. I have met up with a few humans. What does Kushina look like?"

"She has really long, red hair. About my height," Sakura gestured.

Naruto shook his head. "Definitely didn't see any red-heads. There were the few people I chatted with on the hiking trail whenever I could steal someone's clothes. And there a few girls I screwed around with who probably don't remember me because they were drunk or high or both."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and smacked him. "You did what with some girls?"

"What?" Naruto shrugged. "They were hot and horny. It's a damn shame to let a good pussy go to waste."

She smacked him a few more times. "You are a pig!"

"Hey, it's not like they weren't willing. And I didn't give them my seed so it didn't mean anything. It was just instinct. I mean come on! What was I supposed to do when I come across some naked chick playing with herself."

"How many girls have you had sex with?"

"Not including you, about three," Naruto raised his hands up when Sakura glared at him. "In my defense, they all came onto me first."

"Really." Sakura didn't believe him.

"Honest. I sometimes run around the forest in my human for practice. When I do it at night, I don't wear any clothes because people usually don't come out to the forest at night. Sometimes, there are a few kids who come up to the mountains to get drunk and high. The first time it happened was probably a few years ago. Some girl had been smoking something and stumbled out of the woods naked and saw me. She was a real babe, but really weird talking about her destiny and something about the moon. Next thing I know, she wants me to fuck her so I fuck her."

Sakura looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious?"

"Completely. The other time was with some drunk girl masturbating in the woods and the last time was when I stumbled upon a couple that were having sex. That one was a little weird. I think they were both drunk and high because the guy was the one who saw me first and wanted me to join."

"And you joined them?"

"Well, yeah," Naruto said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Sakura was about to call him a complete liar until she remembered an anecdote from her college days. "That girl, the first one you talked about. Did she have long blonde hair and weird looking eyes?"

"Yeah, she did! She also kept on talking about being able to see the future and some shit like that. She called me a sun god. I think it was because of my hair."

"Holy crap! I think you had sex with my college roommate," Sakura covered her mouth in astonishment. "Her name was Shion."

"Seriously?"

"Yes! She was a strange girl. She was into all of that new age mysticism and experimented with drugs. I remember her coming back to the dorms one night naked saying that she was the moon and had made-love to the sun. She smelled like sex and had leaves stuck in her hair. Some of her stoner friends were with her at the time and I heard they liked to go out to the mountains to smoke and have orgies. Wow, that's so weird."

"So, you believe me now?"

Sakura sighed and nodded. "But I'm still a little miffed at you. What if you picked something up from one of those girls? Did you even use protection?"

"I don't need protection. I have a chakra shield."

"A what?"

"A chakra shield, it protects me from anything that could harm me. Let me show you," Naruto rolled over onto his back and then held his hands together.

What happened next both shocked and marveled Sakura. Naruto's penis started to glow with a yellowish hue. Waves of light danced over his skin like a force-field. It was a condom made out of energy.

"Your dick is glowing."

"I know, isn't it awesome! Want to touch it?"

"Ew, no! Get that thing away from me," Sakura shooed him away. "What if that zaps me or something."

"It won't zap you. You won't even notice when I do this. It's just a way to protect me from anything that other girls might have. When I fucked them, they couldn't even tell I had it."

"Yeah, that reminds me of why I'm mad at you. What is it about you? Do you have a thing for taking advantage of women who are either drunk or high or both? When I'm away from the apartment, do you go off into the mountains walking around naked waiting for the first willing and able woman?"

"Sakura, those girls were only one time flings. I just happened to stumble upon them and as luck would have it, I got to bang them too."

"What makes me different from those girls then? You found me when I was drunk off my ass and then screwed me six ways to Sunday. Was I also one of those lucky times?"

Naruto shook his head and put his hands on Sakura's shoulders. He stared straight into her eyes with a serious expression. "Those girls meant nothing to me. I never sought them out nor have I thought about them again until now. But you . . . you're different. I was trying to find someone like you that night. The fact that you were drunk was a coincidence. I would have tried going home with you even if you weren't. Now that I've found you, there will be no other women because you are the one I choose."

"Why did you choose me again?" Sakura asked with a small voice.

"Because of your smell. Because you are beautiful. And since I've seen it, because of your smile. It's just something that I know. You are the one."

Sakura blushed. She turned away momentarily to try and hide her smile. "Just so you know, I still haven't decided if I'm going to be your mate. And I'm still a little mad at you."

Naruto nipped at her earlobe. "If I do this, will you stop being mad at me?"

Sakura sighed. "A bit. But we probably shouldn't have sex again tonight. I'm sore and I want to take you shopping tomorrow."

"Shopping?"

Sakura nodded. "You can't wear the same outfit everyday. Gosh, I should do some laundry and wash your clothes. Say, want to learn how to work the washing machine?"

Like a little puppy, Naruto shadowed her while she washed some clothes. He was fascinated with learning new things and trying to help Sakura out around the apartment. He was also excited that Sakura was going to take him to the mall. He had heard about the mall when he listened in on people's conversations. From what he understood, it was the place to go. He hoped it would be everything he dreamed it would be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Next chapter we get to see Sasuke and Naruko. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.


	7. Lessons in Love

**Chapter 7: Lessons in Love**

They had been walking around the mall for hours going into more stores than he could count. Naruto already had a sufficient amount of clothes thanks to Sakura, but they were still shopping. He thought the mall would be someplace fun and interesting: he was wrong. About the only exciting thing in the place was the food court. He wanted to eat anything and everything there, but sadly Sakura stopped him. The rest of the mall was just plain boring.

"Are we done yet? I think we have enough clothes," Naruto whined.

"You still need some new shoes. I can't have you wearing flip-flops all the time, especially since the weather's starting to change."

Naruto let Sakura drag him into a shoe store. Like with all of the other stores, Naruto simply did what he was told and wore what Sakura said looked good on him. The only purchase that he got to have any say in was an orange and black jacket. He had also wanted the matching orange pants, but Sakura refused to buy it for him.

After several hours, they were finally done shopping. Naruto made a mental note to never get excited about going to the mall ever again unless it was to go to the food court. The only thing that brightened his day was the short skirt Sakura wore. She had to slap his hand countless times when he would inch it up her legs. He learned the hard way that some behavior was inappropriate in public. However, once they were back in the privacy of her apartment, there was going to be trouble.

"I think we have everything now. Let's get back to the apartment. I only have a few hours before I need to teach lab."

"Wow, you teach?"

"It's not much teaching. I just monitor the lab for the undergraduate students and give them the coursework their professors assign them."

"That's awesome Sakura. I bet you're a great teacher."

Sakura playfully whacked him with the shopping bags. The couple had several bags each in their hands; a sign of a successful trip. They turned a corner and Sakura stopped in her tracks.

Naruto looked confused when Sakura stopped walking. "Sakura?"

"Sakura," a deep voice called out.

Naruto turned and saw a woman with pigtails and a black-haired man staring at his mate. Their faces gave way to a mixture of shock and guilt. Sakura stared back at them, but in sadness.

"Hello, Sasuke, Naruko. How are you two?" Sakura asked, forcing a smile.

The blonde kept her gaze on the floor and Sasuke looked down at his feet before answering. "We're both well. How about you?"

"I'm getting by."

"You cut your hair," Sasuke pointed to her now shoulder-length do.

"Yeah, I thought I'd try something different." Sakura fingered the locks. She had cut her hair a week after learning about Sasuke's infidelity. It was her way of cutting old ties.

Naruto looked between Sakura and the couple. He recognized the names as soon as she had said them. They were Sakura's old boyfriend and the bitch who stole him. Sensing Sakura's volatile mood, Naruto put a comforting arm around her shoulders. She had someone better and he wasn't afraid to remind her of that fact.

"Hey Sakura, who's your friend?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke glared at Naruto and grimaced when he noticed his outfit. Extending a hand, he introduced himself. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Naruto took it and squeezed with all of his strength. "Naruto."

The two men sneered at each other, trying to see who would break first. Every vein in their arms were bulging with strain. "So I see that you and Sakura are close."

"Oh, we're very," Naruto smirked.

"Boys! Boys!" Naruko pushed the two apart. "Stop trying to big dick each other."

Sakura merely looked on, amused at the situation. She would have joined Naruko in trying to separate them, but she had too many bags in her hands and they were entertaining. Thankfully, Naruko had successfully kept the pair from breaking any bones or egos. Though they were still glaring at each other in a battle for male dominance. It was rather cute in an annoying sort of way.

"Sasuke, this is Naruto. Naruto, these are my friends, Sasuke and Naruko." Sakura looked at Naruto and said the first thing that came to mind. "Naruto and I are dating."

"I can see that." Sasuke noted Naruto's clothes; the clothes that were his.

Naruto ignored Sasuke. He moved to shake Naruko's hand and paused. Naruko also froze in place and they both looked at each other curiously. As one would cock their head to the side, the other would subconsciously mirror it. Sasuke and Sakura looked back and forth between the two. They were eerily similar. Both had the same shade of blond hair, the same striking blue eyes, and a similar face-shape. They would have been mirror images of the other if it weren't for their different genders. Naruko and Naruto had come to the same conclusion. They suddenly turned away from each other and shuddered.

Naruko tugged at her pigtails in dismay. "I just saw myself as a man."

"I'm not a girl. I'm not a girl. I'm not a girl," Naruto kept repeating to himself.

Sakura laughed at the pair. They really did look alike. "Maybe you two are long lost siblings or something?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura incredulously.

"Sasuke! I don't want to be a man. I love my boobs. Please tell me you'll still love me even if I look like a man." Naruko clung to Sasuke's shirt.

"Please don't say things like that. Ever." Sasuke put an arm around his girlfriend to consol her.

Naruto was still hunched down shaking his head in dismay, whispering to himself. "I have a penis, not a pussy. I have a penis, not a pussy."

Sakura whacked Naruto on the back of the head. "Snap out of it!"

Naruto whimpered and stood back up, doing everything in his power to avoid looking at Naruko fearing he would relapse and start questioning his masculinity.

"It was good seeing you both again. Sorry we can't stay and chat, but we need to get back and I can see that you have your hands full." Sakura gestured to Naruko who was currently shaking uncontrollably and touching her breasts, making sure that they were still there.

Sasuke patted his girlfriend's head. "Yeah, good to see you too. I'll probably stop by your apartment sometime later to pick-up my stuff."

"Okay. I'll need to get them cleaned for you. I should have them ready by tomorrow."

Sasuke nodded and then gave Naruto one last glare before leaving with his girlfriend.

Naruto returned the glare before getting dragged off by Sakura. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and sulked. "I don't like that guy."

"If it makes you feel better, he doesn't like you either."

"He used to fuck you, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah. We dated for over six years. He was my high school and college sweetheart."

Naruto growled. "I want to rip his guts out."

"Jealous?" Sakura teased.

"Very."

"Serves you right."

"What for?" Naruto asked dumbfounded.

Sakura turned trying to put her hands on her hips, but with all of the shopping bags in the way, it hardly looked intimidating. "Now you know how I felt when I heard you screwed three women in the woods."

"That was different."

"How?"

Naruto didn't immediately answer since they had already made it back to her apartment. They threw the bags on the floor and Sakura started to yank off the price tags on the new clothes. She tried not to react when Naruto spun her around and held onto her shoulders.

"The difference is this. He got to screw you for years. He's seen more parts of your body than I have. He probably figured out all the different ways to make you come. I've only had sex with those girls once and will never see them again. I hate his guts because he's known your body better than me and I can't have that."

Sakura glared at Naruto for a fraction of a second before letting his words sink in. It was true that Sasuke knew her more intimately than Naruto did. In fact, her relationship with Sasuke had been ideal. They rarely fought and both were completely comfortable around each other. Hearing Naruto's words made her realize exactly how close she and Sasuke had been. They talked about moving in with each other and getting engaged. Itachi told her about the circumstances that lead to Sasuke's infidelity. But she still didn't know why. Why did he chose Naruko over her? Deflated, Sakura pushed Naruto aside and threw the clothes on the floor. She was not in the mood to argue.

"I need some time alone right now. Wash the clothes while I'm gone. I'll be back late tonight after my lab is done." Sakura listlessly left the apartment. She was past the point of caring and didn't even look back to see if Naruto had heard her.

* * *

><p>Sakura had gone to the library to study, but couldn't concentrate. She was in one of those lackluster moods. They had come frequently since Sasuke left her. She knew they were hard to shake. The last time she was like this, Ino had taken her out drinking and she ended up bringing a nature spirit to bed with her. Thinking about Naruto made her feel guilty for dismissing him earlier. It wasn't his fault that she was still emotionally distraught over Sasuke. If anything, having Naruto around was improving her mood. She was actually smiling and enjoying life again. Taking care of her physical needs was also a bonus.<p>

She just wished that she and Sasuke had some closure. The incident at the mall was one of the first times they really spoke at length. Seeing him again reopened the healing wound in her heart. She couldn't get her mind off of the wonderful times they had shared together. It was only a few months ago when it was her on Sauske's arm instead of Naruko. Sometimes life didn't make any sense and she had to accept that. Easier said than done.

Sakura made her way to the labs and read the instructions the professor had left. Luckily, they were only scheduled to be watching a movie about genetics. She pulled the projector screen down and set-up the AV equipment for the movie. Students were already filtering into the class, excited that they wouldn't be cutting up a frog or squid. Last week Sakura had to deal with at least one student fainting on her. Once it was time to start class, she hit the lights and started the movie. She was glad that it was a movie day. She wasn't in the mood to teach. Sitting at the back of the class, she pulled out her attendance sheet and started to check off which students were here. She could see the backs of everyone's head and recognized all of them through the dimly lit room.

There was one student missing, but the door in the front of the room opened and closed quickly. The missing student was five minutes late. Sakura marked him down as present and looked up in time to see the end of the opening credits. She was about to sit back and relax when she felt something brush by her feet. She looked under her desk and was surprised to see Naruto in his fox form at her feet. He was wagging his tail. He licked her ankle when she finally saw him.

Checking on the students, she was glad that the projector was in the front of the class and her desk in the back. She was also glad that the desk was one of those old oak models that was covered in the front; if any of her students turned around, they wouldn't be able to see the fox at her feet.

Sakura ducked her head down and whispered, "Naruto, what are you doing here?"

Naruto perked his head up and transformed into a human. "You're unhappy and I wanted to cheer you up."

"I'm in the middle of a class. You can't be here right now. Change back into a fox and get out," Sakura gestured. She tried to ignore the fact that he was completely naked under her desk.

Instead of heeding her warning, Naruto started to caress her legs. He began with her ankles and moved up to the back of her knees. "I'm sorry I got you upset earlier. I want to make it up to you."

Sakura shuddered at the electrifying sensations prickling her skin. "Okay, you can make it up to me later. Now why don't you get back home and I promise we can talk then."

Naruto shook his head. "I'm here for you Sakura. I'm not going back. Just relax and let me do all the work. I'll be quiet, promise. Besides, I'm hungry."

She had to suck in her breath when Naruto planted wet kisses up and down her leg. He would sometimes go up mid-thigh before retreating back down to her feet. She kept her eyes forward and gripped the handles of the chair as Naruto licked the inside of her ankle, the back of her knee, and the top of her thigh. Carefully, she scooted forward until she was sitting on the edge of the chair. Naruto smirked in approval and flipped her skirt up, feeling every luscious inch of her legs. His lips grazed the hemline of her panties before he hooked his fingers underneath and pulled them down. Sakura closed her eyes. She felt him push her legs apart and inhale her ardor. She was breathing heavy in anticipation of what he was about to do.

Looking down, she caught him wink at her before he dove in. It took everything in her power to keep herself from moaning out loud. She grabbed a pen on her desk and bit down on it to try and suppress any screams of pleasure. Naruto was already working in unpredictable motions that lead to predictable results. Her grip on the chair tightened until she could hear the creak of wood bending. Naruto then lavished all of his attention on her until Sakura opened her mouth in a silent scream. Her head spun and eyes blurred with the intensity of the orgasm.

She tried to control her breathing so no one would hear her panting. Thankfully, none of the students had noticed. They were all too busy watching the movie. There was at least thirty minutes left until the end of class. It was enough time for her to let Naruto clean her up and for her to calm down so no one was wise to the fact that she had just gotten eaten out in the middle of class.

When she looked down at Naruto, he was resting his head against her inner thigh and smiling at his accomplishment. Sakura couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks, that was great."

"Glad I could please you."

"Stay hidden while the movie finishes up. You might want to change back into a fox so no one sees you. Can you stay good for the rest of class?"

Naruto nodded. He helped clean her up using his tongue and got her panties back on before promptly transforming back into a fox. Sakura focused on the rest of the movie to try and keep her mind off of the sensations she had felt with Naruto's skilled mouth. He curled up into a ball at her feet like a loyal pet. The warmth from his body felt nice on her legs. It was comforting.

Once the movie ended, Sakura stood up and smoothed out her skirt. She didn't want any of her students getting an eyeful of her before walking up to the front of the class to turn the lights back on. She gave everyone a handout from the professor and started to put the movie away. By the time she put the projector up and dropped the movie off in the professor's inbox, the classroom was empty. It was already getting late and her lab was the last in the building. It was her job to lock the classroom up for the night.

She took a quick look outside the room and didn't see anyone else in the hallway. Once she returned to the classroom, she locked the door as a precaution. "Okay, you can come out now."

Naruto trotted out from under the desk and stretched his body. "Can I transform back into a human?"

"Go ahead. There shouldn't be anyone else in the building."

The fox gave her a curious look. "Are you sure about that?"

"I just walked down the hall a minute ago and all the other classrooms are dark. None of the professors are working in their offices right now and they lock the building from the outside a half-an-hour after the last class starts, which was this one."

"Well that's good to know." Naruto trotted towards her and transformed into a human. Before Sakura had any time to react, he pinned her to the wall. "I found that I like hearing you scream whenever I make you come. Eating you out earlier was fun, but wasn't the same when you weren't able to shout my name at the top of your lungs."

"I had a very good excuse why I couldn't. Besides, how are you so sure that I'm in the mood to have sex in here?"

Naruto took a deep breath through his nose. "I can smell your arousal. You're wet for me. You were frustrated that you had to stifle your screams and you want a redo."

"Then you better catch me if you want to fuck me," Sakura said before ducking underneath his arms and running for the desk.

She pushed off all of the supplies and hopped onto it in time for Naruto to grab her head and pull her into a searing kiss. She let him pull her clothes off while she repositioned her body to allow him to sit with her. Soon, they were both naked and kneeling on top of the desk.

Sakura kissed him passionately while she reached down between them. He hummed in satisfaction as her fingers enticed his skin. She broke the kiss and gave him a playful wink before ducking down to take him into her mouth. Naruto placed his hands on her head, running his fingers through her pink hair while she worked her magic on him. The feelings were absolutely delicious.

Reluctantly, Naruto pushed her away and laid down on the desk. "I want to eat you out while you suck me off."

"I don't know if I can come with oral sex so soon after that last orgasm." Sakura straddled his face looking skeptical.

"Then I'll make it one of my goals. Ready?"

"Do your worse."

Naruto took a few seconds to relish the feeling of her hot mouth before looking up to salivate at the sight in front of him. She was ready. He matched the same rhythm that Sakura was using to bob her head up and down. Their moans were muffled out by each other. They both used their tongues in the most creative ways possible to elicit the most pleasure.

Naruto was alternating his pace from fast and wild to a slow, tortuous motion. She was building up. With a few more swirls, Sakura felt the crest of her orgasm. She screamed into him. The sensations sent him over the edge and the couple came long and hard.

Once the orgasm subsided, Sakura rolled off to the side until she was barely on the desk. Her body still tingled with electricity and her lips curled into a satisfied smile. "I can't believe you did that."

"Me? I can't believe you did that. I've never had anyone take that much of me into their mouth before. That was incredible!"

Sakura grinned proudly. "I'd never really been able to do it either. The orgasm was so intense. I needed to scream but didn't want to stop, so I just swallowed. You liked that?"

Naruto got up and kissed Sakura deeply. "I didn't just like it. I loved it."

"Good. I hope that didn't knock you out for the count tonight."

"I'm no one-trick pony. Why don't you lay your pretty little ass here and I'll make sure you learn exactly how I operate." Naruto stood and positioned himself between Sakura's legs while she sat on the edge of the desk. His hands were all over her body, taunting and teasing.

"Are you going to teach me a lesson?" Sakura asked seductively.

"One that you're never going to forget."

He started with her breasts while Sakura ran her fingers through his hair. He assaulted every inch of her exposed skin. It didn't take long for him to become primed and ready. He gently pushed Sakura down so that she was lying on her back. Putting each of her ankles over his shoulders, he placed his hands on her hips and drove home.

They each found their rhythm. Naruto pounded into her while Sakura screamed out his name. When Sakura reached her peak, Naruto turned her to her side and continued in that position. The angle felt incredible and Sakura griped the edge of the desk for dear life. Her heart raced as he brought her to another orgasm.

"You're a fucking animal, do you know that?" She turned around until she was on her hands and knees.

"Of course. All the better to fuck you my dear," Naruto said with a growl.

"Wrong. Nursery. Rhyme," Sakura gasped. "That. Was. A. Wolf. Not. Fox."

"Let's just pretend it was a fox for now and that the fox found Little Pink Riding Hood to be absolutely delicious, he had to eat her again and again. Then he had to pound himself hard into her until she stopped arguing with him about petty things."

"Okay," Sakura practically screamed out while she came. "Hell, Naruto. How many times are you going to make me come?"

"As many times as I can. I'm not done with you yet." Naruto sat down on the chair near the desk.

Sakura smirked and then climbed on top of him before straddling his waist. She gave him a kiss and then sank down. With her hands behind his head, she hung on and enjoyed the ride. They both stared into each other's eyes; intense shades of blue and green. There was a storm of passion clashing in the air. In a frenzied state, Naruto tried to push himself over the edge. The motions were enough to send Sakura over. She took him with her as they both screamed out in ecstasy.

Exhausted, Sakura leaned back until she was half resting on the desk. Naruto ran his hands along her arms and gave her a huge smile. "That was amazing."

Sakura nodded her head. "I think this is the first time for me in an academic building. I should have tried this a long time ago."

"You're a naughty girl, Sakura," Naruto teased. "But that's why I like you."

Sakura playfully slapped him. They laughed while she got dressed and he cleaned up the room. It was nice having someone there to help her out. Joking around and talking with Naruto was refreshing. He had such an infectious attitude, there was absolutely no way for her to stay upset for very long when he was there. She loved how attentive he was to her needs and how he listened to her. Naruto had the foresight to stash his clothes in the janitor's closet. Sakura was grateful because she wanted to hold his hand and feel him nip at her neck affectionately all the way back home.

The walk back was pleasant and warm, despite the chill in the air. Fall was fast approaching. There was a subtle change happening that Sakura hadn't felt in years. Her hair seemed to have more shine, her skin felt softer, and she felt happier than she had since Sasuke dumped her. If she had to define it, she would call it infatuation. But a small part of her recognized that if she left these feelings unchecked, they would sneak up and consume her heart and soul. Sakura wasn't ready for that, not so soon after Sasuke. She would have to tread carefully and let her heart decide only after long, careful consideration.

She tried not to think about how thoughtful he was when she came home and all of the laundry was clean and folded. She didn't want to think about how understanding he was when they went to bed without a good-night romp. She acknowledged his sweetness when he held her in his arms as they slept, but she refused to compare her feelings to Naruto as love. Not yet at least. But there was a change and Sakura knew that given enough time, it was going to happen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Here's a new chapter. Sadly, my computer died. The good news is that I always had my fics on a flash drive to work off of. So lucky for you guys. My husband, Proteus DMC, was not as fortunate. We're getting the harddrive extracted and the info taken out soon. As always, the uncensored version is at the H&E forums.


	8. Coming Clean

**Chapter 8: Coming Clean**

The next day started off like any other. The only exception was that she now had a semi-permanent companion to keep her company. She managed to find some more books to entertain Naruto and also found the TV guide. She had to stock up on instant ramen because it was his favorite food. Before heading to class, she packed all of Sasuke's clothes into a box. Naruto's new clothes looked good on him. She knew how delicious he looked when he was naked, but with his own sense of style, he looked deliriously decadent.

Her classes were easier than they had been when she first started the semester. Sakura attributed it to her mood. She had begun the school-year depressed by her recent break-up. If she knew that all she needed to do to improve her gradeswas to find a living sex toy, she would have done it much earlier. Though she didn't think the sex alone was what put a bounce in her step. She smiled as if there was an air of shimmering brightness surrounding her. Even Ino noticed it.

"You're looking pretty chipper today. Anything happen?"

"No, not really," Sakura smiled.

Ino looked at her carefully. "I know that look. You've been thoroughly fucked. Who is it?"

"None of your business."

"Somebody's keeping a secret. You know how I am with those. You're going to have to tell me eventually."

"Can't a girl have a little fun without having to kiss-and-tell?"

Ino crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'll give you a week. Once the honeymoon period's over, I expect some details. Can I at least get a name?"

"No," Sakura said smugly.

"Oh really? Well then I guess you don't want to hear what I learned from my parents about Mrs. Namikaze's situation." Ino pretended to study her nails while keeping an observant eye on Sakura.

Sakura bit her lip. She wondered if it was wise to let Ino know about Naruto. When she remembered that Sasuke and Naruko had already met him, she realized that word of his existence would eventually reach her blonde-haired friend. "If I tell you, do you promise not to laugh?"

"How bad can it be? I don't know him, do I?"

"No, you've never met him. It's just . . . he has a funny name."

"Funny name? It's not Naruto is it? That's about the funniest name I've heard of," Ino laughed. When she noticed that Sakura wasn't laughing with her, her eyes widened. "His name's Naruto, isn't it?"

Sakura looked sheepish while she nodded her head. "I told you not to laugh."

"Wow, does he look like the character from the book?"

"Yeah." Sakura blushed.

"So you're basically getting to have sex with a living, breathing version of your wet dream."

"Okay. Okay. Enough about me and my love life. What about what you heard about Mrs. Namikaze?"

"Okay, so according to my mother. Kushina Namikaze was supposed to give birth to a baby boy. He was overdue by a long-shot; about two weeks after her initial due date. When she finally went into labor, it didn't go well. Half-way through, her placenta detached from her uterus. The baby's head was already crowning and the doctor didn't realize what had happened until it was too late. Not only that, but when he was finally born; they discovered that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. He never took a breath."

"That's awful. I can't imagine what that must have been like."

"I know. Mrs. Namikaze was so shaken-up by it she was afraid that the same thing would happen to Naruko. At least the doctors knew the second time around she was a high risk pregnancy and took precautions."

"No wonder Naruko is so doted on by her mother. I always thought it was weird how much Mrs. Namikaze would freak-out over the smallest things."

"That's probably the reason why Naruko is such a rebellious tomboy. I think Mrs. Namikaze tried too hard."

"Well, she's not much of a tomboy now. Sex brought out the woman in her," Sakura frowned.

"True. Oh, before I forget. My mother also told me that the Namikazes buried their son's body on the grounds of the Uzumaki Shrine. If you go behind the shrine, you should be able to see a headstone with Naruto's name on it. The Namikazes visit his grave every year on his birthday."

"Why do you think they buried him there?"

"You know that Mrs. Namikaze used to be a shrine-maiden, right? Well, she buried her son there hoping that the fox spirits would protect his body and guide his soul to the other side. Apparently, she did some ritual where she offered her son to them as thanks for their services or something along those lines. Mom wasn't really clear on the details so I'm just relaying what I know."

"That's such an interesting story. I wonder if the foxes answered her prayers."

"Probably. I would never disobey Mrs. Namikaze, even if I were a fox spirit. That woman's scary when she's mad!"

"You're right about that," Sakura shuddered. She remembered a time in high school when Naruko had been caught defacing the school's mural. Mrs. Namikaze let the entire school, and town, know exactly how displeased she was with her daughter.

Ino nudged Sakura in the shoulder. "So now that I told you the info I got from my parents, when are you going to let me know more about this Naruto guy you've been screwing?"

"Eventually."

"Eventually? That's reassuring. At least tell me whether or not he's better than Sasuke. A girl's gotta know."

Sakura turned and put her hands on her hips as she faced Ino. "He's in a different league."

The comment sent Ino into a joygasm of squeals. There was no use putting the genie back into the bottle once you let it out and Sakura had to suffer through her constant questions. Thankfully, Ino had to get to her last class giving Sakura the opening she needed to escape.

The walk back to her apartment was refreshing. The sun was out and she only had some light reading to do for her classes tomorrow. Sakura was already planning the rest of her day. She would cook dinner with Naruto and they would eat before they had sex. She preferred the bed, but the most likely scenario would involve the dining room table and some whipped cream. Then she would read while he rubbed her feet. If he was curious, she would read out loud to him. Then they would get ready for bed and if they had enough energy and the mood was right, they would have sex again. It was a perfect plan for the rest of the evening.

As she reached her apartment, she noticed someone waiting for her. She was glad she had the foresight to tell Naruto to never answer the door or let anyone in. Once she realized who it was, she nearly dropped her keys on the ground.

"Sasuke?"

"Sakura." He had been leaning against her door with his arms across his chest. When he pushed off the wall effortlessly and walked towards her with purpose, she was reminded of how much allure he had. It was part of the reason why she had become attracted to him in the first place. Now she considered him to be nothing more than a cheating bastard, willing to throw away a six-year relationship for a one-month tryst.

"What brings you here?"

"I came to pick-up my stuff. Is it ready?"

"Of course. Please, come in." Sakura opened the door for him. She entered the apartment hoping that Naruto wasn't in sight or if he was, he at least had clothes on.

As luck would have it, Naruto did greet her at the door; just not in the form she was expecting. Once Sasuke stepped foot into her apartment, tiny jaws latched onto the end of his pants. He looked down to see a fox growling at him with menacing eyes.

"Sakura, what the hell?"

Sakura was dumbfounded at what to do at first. "Um, Kyuubi! Bad boy! Let go!"

Naruto ceased his growling and trotted over to Sakura, wagging his tail and trying to lick her hands. Sakura bent down and let him lick her face, nuzzling her neck.

Sasuke closed the door and glared at the orange-red fox. "You have a wild animal in your apartment?"

"He followed me home one day. I decided to keep him. He's very cute and very loyal," Sakura emphasized the last point.

Sasuke pursed his lips in annoyance. "Great. Cute pet. So, where should I get my stuff? Your boyfriend isn't here, is he?"

"I'll go get your stuff. And my boyfriend is usually around, but you won't be seeing him now. He's . . . at his job. He does a lot of work in and around the Kyuubi Mountains." Naruto looked up at her and cocked his head to the side. She was sure that if he were in human form, his face would be scrunched up in confusion. In his fox form, it made him look constipated.

"Okay, I'll just wait here with your . . . pet," Sasuke eyed the fox.

"His name is Kyuubi."

"Your pet fox, Kyuubi. Great."

Naruto barred his teeth at Sasuke and stood up on all fours with his fur puffed up in an aggressive stance. Sasuke became equally assertive, keeping himself on guard in case the fox decided to jump him. When Sakura returned to the living room with Sasuke's belongings, the pair hadn't budged an inch from their face-off. She tried clearing her throat a few times to get their attention, but nothing happened. Fed-up, she dropped the box and it crashed to the floor, startling the man and the fox.

"I've got your stuff right here. Is there anything else?"

Sasuke stared at Sakura for a minute before speaking. "I also came because I owe you a huge apology."

"You're a little late for that," Sakura snorted.

"I know. I never meant to hurt you, you know. Things just sort of . . . happened."

"I'd rather you spare me the details if that's alright."

Sasuke sighed in frustration. "I'm not really any good at this. Look. What I wanted to say was that everything that happened in our relationship; how I handled it, it was all my fault. I really enjoyed dating you and you were a great girlfriend. You were everything a guy could ever ask for. But there was something missing and I didn't know what it was until I went on that vacation with the Namikazes."

"The one with Naruko," Sakura said sadly.

Sasuke nodded. "It was something our mothers arranged. We both wanted to hate each other to spite them, but that didn't happen. There was something about her. She pissed me off so much, yet, I liked that about her. She pushed me in ways that you never did and I don't think you ever could, even if I asked you to. Everything about our relationship was practically idyllic. But it was missing a spark."

"And you found it with her. I . . . I appreciate you telling me this. Sorry that I was too boring for you." Sakura tried her best to stop the tears. Naruto whined and rubbed his head on her legs, sensing her distress.

"Sakura it's not that." Sasuke tried to grab her, but Naruto growled at him. He frowned at the fox and dropped his hand. "You weren't boring. That's not what I was trying to get at. What I'm trying to say is that as much as I enjoyed our relationship, it wasn't the best for me. It probably wasn't the best for you either. We never really challenged each other Sakura. We both fell into the same old routine day in and day out. We did what was expected, not what we truly desired. There just wasn't that chemistry."

"That's a really strange way to think of it. But you are right about one thing; it probably wasn't the best for me. I'm glad that you ended it with me when you did before either one of us got in too deep."

"Sakura," Sasuke tried to plead.

"Please leave."

Sasuke knew not to argue anymore and he gave her one last remorseful look before leaving her apartment with his stuff. Once the door shut, Sakura fell to the floor in a heap of tears. Naruto transformed back into a human and held her close while she cried it out. It hurt. It really did. But she was glad she finally got some resolution with him. She felt like she could finally move on with a clear conscious.

Needless to say, nothing she had planned went the way she wanted that night. Naruto made them both instant ramen for dinner. Though Sakura wasn't much of a fan, that meal was one of the best she had ever had. Naruto let her lay on the couch while he read to her his favorite excerpts from _The Legend of the Gutsy Ninja_. He helped carry her to bed where they cuddled with their clothes on until they both fell asleep. It didn't go according to plan, yet it felt like the perfect ending to her day.

* * *

><p>AN: For whatever reason, the document manager does not like the phrase "the Kyuubi Mountains." It always tries to make it one word instead of three separate words. Meh.


	9. Trail Mix

**Chapter 9: Trail Mix**

He wanted to take her on a date. Her first thought was to go to Chouji's restaurant. She had to scratch that off the list when she realized he didn't have a job or any money. He argued with her that a date didn't have to involve paying for anything and to let him handle everything. Sakura hated to admit it, but Naruto was very convincing when he had a particular goal in mind. Somehow, she was getting excited about their weekend trip to the mountains. It was perfectly simple: a hiking trip and picnic for two.

She was at the store walking up and down the aisles getting some food for their picnic. Naruto demanded that she buy some more instant ramen while she was out. She theorized that if Naruto learned how to cook, he would still favor instant ramen over real food. She wondered if he would like home-made ramen better than the junk he had been eating for lunch. If he didn't, he would be getting better acquainted with her couch because that was what she was going to make for dinner.

As she turned down the condiment aisle, she noticed a tall, silver-haired man holding a bottle of ketchup. She immediately recognized him. It was her high school English teacher, Kakashi Hatake.

"Mr. Hatake?" Sakura approached him.

The man looked up at her lazily. She thought he was smiling, but it was impossible to tell since he was always wearing a surgical mask. "Ah, Sakura Haruno. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well. How about you?"

"Oh, well. You know how things are. And please, just Kakashi is fine. You're an adult like me now." The older man turned to face a woman pushing a stroller down the aisle. "Oh, let me introduce you to my wife and son."

Sakura watched the woman come up to Kakashi and pull down his mask to give him a quick kiss. For a few seconds, Sakura could see his smile and it was divine. Rin was a lucky woman. It was a rare sight to see Kakashi's face and Sakura was enthralled she got a glimpse. It was short lived though since he put the mask back on before turning to face Sakura again.

"Honey, I want to introduce you to one of my former students. This is Sakura Haruno. Sakura, this is my wife, Rin, and my son, Obito."

Sakura held her hand out. "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Hatake."

"Oh, just Rin is fine. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"So Sakura, what have you been doing since you graduated?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, I went to Anbu University for undergrad to get my BS. I'm working on my Masters in Biology right now at Anbu."

"I'm sure you're acing all of your classes. How's Sasuke? You two still together?"

Sakura forced a smile. "Oh, he and I broke up some time ago. But he seems to be fine. He also went to Anbu for undergrad and spent the first year after graduation interning at his father's business. He's enrolled in Anbu's prestigious Jonin Business School."

"Sorry to hear that you two broke-up. But I'm glad that you both are doing well." The high pitched babble of a baby warmed Sakura's heart. She practically melted when Kakashi bent down to pick-up his infant son. "Looks like Obito doesn't want to be left out of the conversation."

Sakura cooed over the baby boy. "He's so cute. How old is he?"

"Nine months," Rin answered. "Do you want to hold him? He loves being held by girls."

Kakashi handed Obito off and Sakura held the cubby baby in her arms. She was uncertain on how to properly hold him. Rin had to help her get him settled into a comfortable position. Once he was settled, everything felt right. She smiled at the baby gazing up at her with a toothless grin. He let out a squeal of laughter, trying to grab her pink hair. Sakura couldn't help but laugh along. Something tugged at her heartstrings when she watched baby Obito staring at her with joyful innocence. Her eyes softened and her biological clock buzzed, telling her that it was time to go out and make some babies.

She knew she was starting to travel down a dangerous line of thinking, so she handed the bundle of flirtatious joy back to Rin. "He's adorable. You're very lucky."

"Thank you. I'm sure that you'll eventually have a little one too," Rin said with a smile.

"I'm still too young."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "True. It's also very difficult to balance a career and family life. But I'm sure you'll figure it out. You always were a smart one."

"Thanks."

Sakura and the Hatakes chatted for a few more minutes until it was time for baby Obito to take a nap. She parted ways with the family and made her way back to the apartment with groceries in hand. The warm feelings that came with holding baby Obito made her wonder what it would be like to be a mother. She reasoned that she was too young for a child. But that still didn't stop the images from flashing through her mind.

Sometimes she pictured a baby girl, other times a boy. Then she saw herself with both a boy and a girl; smiling, happy, and sweet. Oftentimes, her fantasy family would include the father of her children and oddly enough, it was always Naruto. She attributed it to the fact that she was currently sleeping with him. However, the images of him standing by her side while she fed their baby seemed so perfect and right, she couldn't dream of anything better.

Then came the other problem; Naruto wasn't exactly human. Did nature spirits father children? He had mentioned making babies with her, right? Would she ever become a mother if she were to stay with him? Things always had to be complicated. It would be pointless to stress about a future scenario that may never take place. Sakura pushed the thoughts of motherhood and babies into the furthest reaches of her mind. When her biological clock started to tick again, then she would worry about it.

* * *

><p>She should have never made him home-made ramen. He loved it, which was nice, but he loved it too much. Pretty much every night he would beg and plead that she make more home-made ramen because it was the best thing he had ever eaten in his entire life. She was flattered; every cook wanted to be complimented on their food. However, even the best cooks wouldn't want to eat the same thing every day.<p>

Sakura promised him that she would make him home-made ramen at most, once a week. He was so happy with the news, he fucked her on the kitchen counter. She wasn't entirely certain, but she theorized that Naruto expressed himself the most during sex: when he was happy, he had sex; when he was sad, he had sex; when he was horny, he had sex with her as many times as he could. Sakura certainly wasn't complaining. She wondered if it was the part of him that considered himself a fox or if it was an attribute of nature spirits. She concluded that the most likely answer was that he was a healthy male with a penis.

It was finally time for their date in the mountains. Naruto was carrying a picnic basket filled with some sandwiches and snacks. They were taking a stroll around Konoha and Sakura gave him a tour of the city. She would have done it earlier, but between her classes, studying, and all of the sex they were having, they didn't have time until now. Sakura took him past her old neighborhood. She pointed out the playground she played at when she was little and the swimming pool where she learned how to swim.

"That's the house where I grew up," Sakura said pointing to a modest two-story home. "I had to sell it after I moved in with Ino and her family. I have a lot of fond memories from living there. It was too big and too much responsibility for a teenager to manage. Plus, it would have been too lonely all by myself."

"Did you like living with Ino?"

"I did. But we learned early on that we would eventually kill each other if we lived in the same house for too long. I love Ino, but only in small batches. She's like the annoying sister that you wished you weren't related to."

"What were your parents like?"

Sakura smiled wistfully. "My dad was pretty laid back and my mom was always very strict. I think you would have liked them if they were still around."

"I'm sure I would. I've never really known what it was like to have a real family."

"Really? What about the other nature spirits you've talked about?"

Naruto shook his head. "They're sort of like my siblings. But it's not really the same. We're not related by blood or anything."

"And you don't really have any parents?" Sakura paused, remembering the image of baby Obito. "What about children? You wanted babies with me, right? Do you know if you can have children?"

Naruto shrugged. "None of the other nature spirits ever tried. So I really don't know for sure, but we think we can. I suppose if anyone could find out it would be Gaara, but it's probably too soon for him to know."

The answer placated her for the moment. "Gaara is such a strange name. Did he make that one up?"

"Nah. His mate actually gave it to him. Gaara said that she saw him near some grave and thought he was a ghost, so she started addressing him by the name on the gravestone. Gaara likes his name though, just like how I like the one you gave me," Naruto smiled.

Sakura blushed. "Well, it suited you."

"Yeah, it does. At least Gaara and I have names that make sense, unlike Bee."

"Bee, who's that?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention him. He's the other nature spirit who's still around. He gave himself his own name."

Sakura tried to picture Bee. "Is he a giant insect?"

"Oh, no! He's not at all. He looks kind of weird. It's like if you crossed a bull and an octopus, then you get Bee. I think he said he based his name off of some rapper, I forgot who he said it was."

Sakura tried to think of any rappers, but she wasn't into that music genre. Then she remembered two classmates from college, Karui and Omoi. They always kept on singing the songs to this one rap group that had a funny name. "Oh, I think I know the rap group. It was the A-B Combo. There were two guys, one was named A and the other was Killer B. Was that it?"

"Yeah! That's it! Bee told me that the band was playing a concert near where he lived and after hearing it, he knew that he wanted to be exactly like Killer B. He named himself after him and even started to talk in raps. He's stuck with it ever since."

"That's a little strange," Sakura laughed. "So what did you guys call each other before you got your names?"

"I was called nine-tails and Gaara was one-tail. Bee was eight-tails."

"Tails? What do the tails signify?"

"The number of tails we have," Naruto answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Sakura paused to look at him. "But, you don't have nine tails. That doesn't make any sense."

Naruto grinned sheepishly. "I guess I never told you about that, did I?"

Sakura shook her head. "There's still a lot that I don't know about you. Care to tell me?"

"Sure. Well, nature spirits have a hierarchy. The ones with the most tails are the most powerful. In total, there are nine of us so I guess you could say that I'm the strongest. Sometimes we're called tailed-beasts."

"I've seen a little of your powers. What else can you do?"

"The forest creatures and spirits are at my command. I don't do much with them, but I have them tell me when something's up. Usually that involves someone getting lost in the woods or rowdy campers destroying the wildlife. I can control the wind and sometimes the weather on the mountains. Gaara's got it the easiest. He can control the sands around his desert. And Bee, he's sort of a water spirit I guess. He's strong in both aspects of land and water, so he's got the best of both worlds."

"And how about the tails, can you show them to me?"

Naruto laughed nervously. "They can be kinda scary."

"Scary? How so?"

"Well, the image of us as tailed-beasts isn't really supposed to be the cute and cuddly kind. We're protectors of the earth so we have to look menacing to our enemies. If I tried to protect the mountains from a swarm of locusts trying to eat all of the vegetation with my little fox form, the locusts would probably laugh at me."

"So what do you transform into?"

Naruto put his hand on his chin while he thought of the best description. "Have you ever seen a rabid fox?"

"Only in pictures."

"Okay, take a rabid fox, give it nine-tails, and then make it the size of a small mountain. That's what my tailed-beast form would look like. I would show it to you, but for some reason humans can't see us when we're in that form. Which is too bad because it would make our lives much easier."

"That does sound kinda scary. But I guess the laws of nature want you to protect your home without making humans suspicious that there is a spirit protecting it."

"Yeah, I guess. It's not like they ever gave us a guidebook for this job. We have the lesser spirits to help us, but they know about as much as we do."

"So even you can't tell me much about yourself because you just don't know," Sakura teased.

"When you put it that way, it sounds bad. But yeah, basically."

"What would you do if you ever figured it out? I mean, if you knew how you became a nature spirit and everything that it entailed?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'll find out if I ever learn. Though it would be nice to know why I got the job. The four-tail was the oldest of the nature spirits. He said he remembered when all of us were born, but never really elaborated on how we were born. He was the one who first taught us how to interact with humans. He was a great guy and I wish he were still around. He'd be better at explaining all of this. The only thing I know is what happens to us when we die."

"What happens?"

"We become one with the earth. All of the nature spirits that have died are now part of the remaining spirit energy in the world. I can always feel traces of them in the water or in the soil, but they've lost all of their consciousness. It's kind of like when a human dies; their flesh and bones decay going back to the earth, but they live on in memories. That's sort of the same thing."

"How sad."

"Death is everywhere. Even nature spirits aren't immune to it."

The couple walked until they were soon close to the edge of town. There was a park that separated the town from the base of the mountains. While walking through the park, Sakura recognized a couple that were sitting on a bench feeding the pigeons.

Sakura dragged Naruto along with her and waved to her friends. "Hinata! Chouji!"

The couple stood to greet her. "Sakura, it's so nice to see you here."

"Same to you both. Oh, let me introduce you to my," Sakura glanced at Naruto with a smirk. "Boyfriend. Hinata, Chouji, this is Naruto. Naruto, these are my friends Hinata and Chouji. We went to high school together. They're both engaged and set to get married in the summer."

Naruto shook both of their hands and turned to Chouji. "Wow, how did you get a girl like her?"

Hinata blushed while Chouji beamed with pride. Sakura smacked him on the chest and chided him. "Stop that. Please excuse Naruto. Sometimes he has the manners of a wild animal."

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine. We've gotten used to getting asked that sort of thing," Hinata said.

"I've started to answer people that it's because Hinata has a heart of gold." The engaged couple stared up at each other with secretive smiles on their faces. It was genuine love.

Sakura and Naruto exchanged pleasantries with the other couple for a few minutes before taking their leave. They still needed to find a suitable place for their picnic and they hadn't even gotten to the trails yet. While making their trek to the mountains, the pair chatted along the way.

"So how did that fat guy get such a babe?"

"First off, a word of warning. Never. Ever. Call Chouji fat. If he hears you, he'll rip you a new one."

"Got it, must insert foot in mouth before talking to any fat guys."

Sakura shook her head. "But Hinata and Chouji actually have a very cute story. Back in high school, Hinata was incredibly shy and Chouji was always bullied because of his size. They were both picked on constantly by the school bully, Zaku. Zaku was a real asshole. He picked on me a few times until Sasuke beat him up one day after school. But that only stopped him from bullying me. He still went after other people. Our friends tried to protect Hinata from him, but there were times when she would be alone going from one class to another. Zaku found out her schedule and cornered poor Hinata during a class change. He started shoving her against the lockers and yelling at her. Luckily, Chouji happened to be passing by and before Zaku could shove her into the lockers again, Chouji came up and pushed Zaku away so hard that the asshole made a huge dent in the wall. After that incident, Zaku never picked on Chouji or Hinata again."

"Good for Chouji. Sounded like that Zaku guy needed to be taught a lesson or two."

"I know. Hinata was lucky that Chouji came to her rescue. She started to really admire him ever since. She noticed how despite the fact that so many people made fun of him because of his weight, he still held his head up high and found something that he was really good at: cooking. It's funny actually. Those two never dated in high school because they were too shy to be more than friends. I guess they didn't know how to ask each other out or anything, though it was pretty obvious to everyone around them that they liked each other. They didn't start dating until Hinata's sister, Hanabi, set them up."

"Did she lock them in a closet so they could fuck?"

"What? No!" Sakura said hitting him. "She set them up on a blind date."

"A blind date? That's no fun."

"It was romantic."

Naruto pursed his lips in frustration. "Well, did they at least fuck after the date?"

Sakura blushed. "I don't know. I didn't ask them when they first had sex. That's not something you do."

"Yeah, it's probably best you didn't. I mean she probably had to be on top all of the time or else he'd crush her. What if he's hung like a horse. He's probably big all around and not just his waist-line. What do you think?"

Naruto turned to find Sakura beet-red in the face. "I will forget everything that you just said right now. I will imagine I never heard it."

"You know what you could imagine?"

"What?" She was afraid of the answer.

"Us doing it against that tree over there."

Sakura smacked him. "You are such a pervert!"

"If I were a true pervert, I would drag you behind the tree, rip all of your clothes off, and then fuck your brains out."

"That wouldn't make you a pervert, that would make you a sex addict."

"Sex addict, pervert; what's the difference?"

"You're hopeless, you know that?" Sakura eyed him up and down and balked when she noticed the visible indentation in his pants. "You're thinking about doing it, aren't you? You really want to have sex with me behind that tree."

"Sakura, I could have sex with you anywhere, anytime."

She looked around the forest and noticed that no one was around, but it was still a public place. "What if someone comes down this trail?"

Naruto sniffed the air and smiled. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her through the forest. "Follow me. I know of a great place."

They walked off the main trail and through the thick brush. Naruto took them up and then down a steep hill until they reached a small clearing of grass. The hill blocked the view from the main trail to this area and they were hundreds of yards away from the public eye. Sakura could seeing nothing but shrubbery and trees for miles on end. Naruto had already laid out a blanket on the ground in the small clearing.

Sakura smirked at Naruto's urgency to set up the picnic. "You hungry?"

Naruto looked up at her. "Yeah, but not for food."

That comment shot straight to her loins and she squeezed her thighs together in anticipation of what Naruto had planned. Once he finished laying out the food and straightening the blanket, he held out his hand. Sakura walked up to him and entwined her fingers with his, sighing when he pulled her into a kiss. They gasped, sliding their tongues along their mouths in a frenzied passion. Hands sought out buttons to undo and zippers to pull. It didn't take long to remove all of their clothes.

Sakura shivered when the open air caressed her skin. Naruto took her into his mouth. Her fingers ran through his hair before exploring lower and lower until they reached her target. She tugged and stroked before she smirked at him and knelt down.

Naruto moaned. It was an incredible feeling having the wind at his back and Sakura at his front. He caught her eye when she glanced up at him with that lean and hungry gaze. That look in her eye always drove him wild and he pushed her on. It didn't take long for her skilled tongue to work its magic

Sakura barely had time to wipe her mouth clean before Naruto stood her up and kissed her deeply. He guided her backwards until she was pressed against a tree. Luckily, the tree had smooth bark. She would have hated to get scratches all over her back. There were a few low hanging branches that Sakura was forced to hold onto when Naruto flung her legs over his shoulders. She breathed in heavily and watched him admire her. He was taking his time to cherish it. Planting a kiss on top, he let her see the full length of his tongue before dipping it down.

The branches creaked when she grabbed them with all of her might. The sensations were intense. He was like a man on the brink of starvation. She moaned out in pleasure, feeling the air blow around her. The only sounds in the forest were the chirping of the birds, Sakura's panting, and slurping noises as Naruto drank up every last drop. She hit her peak with a throaty moan and nearly dropped to the ground in a boneless heap. Naruto had a firm grip on her body and set her down gently on the blanket.

By now, he was ready to go. Sakura let him in and wrapped her legs around his waist. The smells of the crisp fall season combined with the cool, pleasant air made her body sing as they moved. She came hard and fast on the forest floor, but Naruto wasn't done with her yet.

He stood up and pulled her up with him. "Against the tree." It was a demand; not a request.

Normally, Sakura would have mouthed off on his tone of voice, but she was too into their coupling to care. She complied and placed her hands against the bark of a tree. She looked back and saw him leer at her before going for the kill. She gasped and held onto the tree for dear life. His hands smoothed over her hips and ran up and down her sides. He was close and leaned forward until he was covering her back. The sensations were enough to send her toppling over the edge with Naruto following shortly thereafter.

"That was intense." Sakura panted.

"Yeah. It's always more fun fucking in nature. It's where you were designed to screw," Naruto said before kissing her.

Sakura laughed. "I'll admit, this is my first time doing it outside in the open like this."

"Then I need to take you out here more often."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Next chapter Naruto and Sakura run into the Namikazes. Wacky hi-jinks ensue.


	10. The Uzumaki Shrine

**Chapter 10: The Uzumaki Shrine**

When the sun had passed its high point, the couple put their clothes back on and packed up their picnic. Sakura wanted to show Naruto the Uzumaki Shrine. She was surprised that he had never been there before. Then she remembered that it was part of the mountain that was already safe.

"What is it about this area that you don't need to protect?"

"It's hard to explain. It's one of those places that the spirits told me was hallowed. They said that even if I were to fail and the mountain were destroyed, this area would remain. It's a sanctuary."

"Wow. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that the Uzumaki's protected this area for generations. Perhaps they were also working to protect the mountain, but they could only reach this area."

"Possibly. I think the two-tails told me that she used to have a shrine dedicated to her. I don't know if the shrine still stands or if it protects her land like the one here. I wish I knew."

"I've been meaning to ask you, how do you communicate with the other nature spirits?"

Naruto scratched his head and thought of the best way to put it into words. "We have our physical bodies and then we have our spiritual bodies. What we do is our spiritual bodies all get together somewhere and we talk. It's sort of like when you talk to someone on their phone. That's how we communicate. We can also feel each other at any given time. That's how we found out when we were dying off."

"So you can tell that Gaara and Bee are still around?"

"Yep, they're right here," Naruto said, pointing to his chest.

"Those are some strong bonds."

"We're like brothers."

They came to a bend in the trail and could see a wooden building. It looked like it was hundreds of years old. It was built by hand and was meant for more than just housing a small family. The wooden pillars and walls were decorated in intricate designs and pictures. Their was a distinguished marksmanship and quality in the wood carvings that a modern-day carpenter would be humbled by.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Naruto said staring in awe.

His fingers traced the outlines of tiny foxes engraved into the wooden pillars. Swirls and spirals ran up and down the walls. Naruto smiled when he stepped onto the first step. The wood groaned and creaked under his weight. The ancient shrine felt like a second home to him. His mind and heart were at peace on these grounds.

"This is a great place, isn't it?" Sakura asked, pleased with his reaction.

"Sakura, this place is the best! Thanks for showing it to me. It's so awesome!"

She smiled wistfully and watched Naruto run his hands along the wooden walls. He admired each individually engraved pillar taking the time to study the details. He was like a child opening a present. Everything was fantastic and new. No words could describe the expression on his face. She saw that Naruto was admiring the carving of a mother fox tending to her kits.

"That one is my favorite," Sakura said, pointing to the engraving. "I think it really shows the beauty of the foxes and why they were sacred. When you see this, you can understand why this shrine was dedicated to the fox spirits."

Naruto smiled and grabbed her hand. "Yeah, you can. I like this one too."

The couple sat in amicable silence holding hands. She was comfortable here with him and lay her head on his shoulder. Beauty had been immortalized in this area and with it came serenity. There was nothing more for the pair to do but enjoy nature's gift. Sakura closed her eyes for a moment and could almost picture them sitting on the porch to their house with children running around in the front yard. It brought a smile to her face.

Naruto squeezed her hand. "This feels like home."

"For you or for us?" Sakura asked brazenly. She didn't even realize the words came out of her mouth until she saw the look Naruto was giving her. "What?"

Naruto didn't respond. He simply looked at her, studying her expression. It was unnervingly sweet. Only Naruto could make her feel like the most important woman in the world as well as a piece of meat waiting to be eaten. His gaze never faltered even when she pushed him gently.

"What?" Sakura asked again.

Naruto crept closer to her face until their noses were touching. "You're falling for me."

Sakura bit her lip to keep from smiling before she pushed him off the stairs they were sitting on. He landed in a heap of limbs. "Now who's the one falling?"

He shook off the fall and turned to her with a mischievous look on his face. Sakura didn't have any time to react. With lightning fast speed, he grabbed her and held her over his shoulders, playfully smacking her on her ass. "Admit it, you're falling for me."

Sakura shrieked with laughter. "Never!"

"If you don't admit it, I'm going to tickle you."

"No!" Sakura squealed. "Don't you dare!"

"Admit it," Naruto crept his fingers along her sides.

"No!"

Through their laughter and horseplay, they never heard the family walking up the trail towards them. The Namikazes were used to seeing people visiting the shrine. They never minded since the Uzumaki family opened it up to the public. However, they never expected to see a couple playing and teasing each other in a way that was getting dangerously close to a different kind of adult play.

By the time Sakura and Naruto noticed the Namikazes, the family had already reached the steps of the shrine. Sakura was still slung over Naruto's shoulder with her hands on his belt buckle. Embarrassed, Naruto gently set Sakura down. His eyes immediately locked on Naruko who looked back at him in a mixture of horror and morbid curiosity. He returned the look.

Sakura straightened out her clothes and hair before greeting the family. "Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze, it's good to see you. Hey Naruko. What brings you all out here?"

"Just out to visit the family shrine. We always come up here to visit our son on his birthday," Kushina answered.

"Your son?" Sakura asked, despite already knowing the answer. She didn't want to give the woman the impression she had pried into her private life, even if Kushina may deserve it. Sakura didn't know if she could ever forgive her for her role in perpetuating Sasuke's infidelity. Sakura would be cordial, but it would be a while before she could respect the woman ever again.

At least Kushina had the heart to look slightly apologetic when she spoke to Sakura. "Yes. You probably don't know, but before Naruko was born I had a son. He died at birth. We named him Naruto."

Naruto's ears perked up when he heard his name, but Sakura gave him a look that kept his mouth shut. "I'm sorry to hear about that."

"It's alright. That happened a long time ago. He probably would have been around your age if he survived," Kushina said, pointedly giving Sakura a look.

Sakura didn't like that look. The woman was plotting and the last time Kushina plotted, she and Mikoto sent their children to a deserted island. Sakura needed a distraction before she got mixed-up in whatever plan Kushina was trying to hatch.

"Oh, I almost forgot to introduce you to my boyfriend, Naruto." Sakura cringed at the curious looks the elder Namikazes gave him once they heard his name. "Naruto, this is Minato and Kushina Namikaze. Mr. Namikaze is the Mayor of Konoha. You've already met Naruko. Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze, this is Naruto."

Minato and Kushina looked slightly startled and shocked. But they graciously shook hands and studied Naruto's face. There was no mistaking the family resemblance. The only difference was the whisker marks on his cheek. They were cute, but also a huge red flag. They drew attention to his resemblance to the man portrayed on the cover art of Jiraya's book. Meeting the Namikazes was probably the absolute worst thing for Naruto to do.

Sakura quickly grabbed Naruto and started to slowly walk away from the shrine. "It was nice seeing you, but we should probably get going so you can tend to your private affairs. Naruto and I will just head on our way."

"It's perfectly alright, we don't mind the company," Minato stated, trying to subtly urge them to stay.

"On no! We really shouldn't. We actually have plans somewhere else and should head on home." Sakura continued retreating, grabbing the picnic basket on their way out.

Kushina waved back with a sad smile. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Naruto. I hope that we can meet again someday."

Naruto returned the wave. "Same here."

Naruko opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but then pursed her lips and shook her head. Sakura supposed that whatever it was, it probably involved Sasuke. The look in her eyes said it all. But that conversation would have to wait. They walked away from the Uzumaki Shrine hyper aware of the three set of eyes staring at their retreating backs. She knew it looked rude to leave as abruptly as they did, but she didn't want to have to divulge any personal information about Naruto. She already made the mistake of telling them his name.

Once they were far enough away from the family, Sakura felt relieved. "That was a close one."

Naruto remained silent and stared at the trail that lead to the Uzumake Shrine. "Who were they?"

"The Namikazes? Did you forget their names already?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Naruto sighed. "I just feel like I know them."

"Maybe you saw them once when they were walking through the woods. They're regular visitors to this part of the mountain."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not that. I know I've never seen them before. I would have remembered. But I can't help feeling like I have a connection with them."

Sakura's expression softened. "If it makes you feel any better, I think they felt it too. Maybe it's the resemblance or maybe it's something more. Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that Kushina used to be the Uzumaki shrine maiden?"

"Maybe. I don't know. But I like them. They're nice."

"They are, but that doesn't mean you can go off to talk to them yet. I don't know how to explain things like where you came from or what you do? And I'm not about to tell them that you're a nature spirit."

"You're right. It's probably best if we keep my real identity a secret for now. I don't think I could tell an outright lie if someone asked me anyway," Naruto said embarrassed.

Sakura smiled. "You're cute, you know that?"

"Of course I do, but you're beautiful."

"Flatterer. Come on, let's get back home. It's a long hike back."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Next chapter we get to see Sasuke again. He gets motivated.


	11. Uncharted Territory

**Chapter 11: Uncharted Territory**

Sasuke pushed aside some of Naruko's clothes to find some space on his desk. He put his book down and frowned when he discovered that his set of blue highlighters were replaced by orange. Looking around the apartment, he sighed. His girlfriend had practically moved in with him. She spent all of her time here and even invaded the bathroom with her feminine hygiene products. He didn't know if she still stayed in her dorms; she certainly never slept there. Based on the large pile of boxes in the hall, he guessed she was staying here on a more permanent basis.

The sound of the door opening and slamming shut broke him out of his musings. "You're home early. So how did the day with your parents go?"

Naruko stomped over to Sasuke and glowered down at him. "Horrible."

"Horrible? What happened?"

Naruko sat on Sasuke's lap and relayed her day. She first told him about how everything started off great; she had lunch with her parents and then went up to the shrine. She mentioned meeting Sakura and Naruto up there and their awkward exchange. Both she and Sasuke still couldn't get past the fact that Naruto looked like a male version of her.

"And you know what the scary thing was?"

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"My parents noticed the similarities too. But they were all cool with it. I could practically picture my mother going up to him and hugging him like she was her son. Ugh! So weird." Naruko quieted down and shook her head. "I need to talk to Sakura sometime."

"What for?"

"I feel like I need to explain myself to her. You know I was the 'other woman' in your relationship. I'm a bitch!"

Sasuke shook his head. "You're not a bitch. And don't worry. I talked to her a few days ago."

"What did you say?"

"I just told her how you challenged me. That our relationship just sort of happened. I didn't want to make her feel like anything was her fault, because it wasn't. Sakura and I were fine, but she and I never had that spark that we have."

"How did she take it?"

Sasuke smirked. "She kicked me out."

"I still think I should talk to her. I owe her that at least."

"If you think you need to. It's your decision. So what's made you so upset today? I know it isn't just because you haven't been able to talk to Sakura."

Naruko stood up and paced around the room. "The Kyuubi Mountains may be bought out by some retail developer. They're going to raze the forests and build a bunch of stores."

"Really? I thought ICHA was trying to buy the land. Weren't they in negotiations with the city?"

"They are, but they don't have enough money. This other group, Akatsuki, has more money."

"I'm sorry. I know how much you and your family love those lands."

"Yeah. Mom is trying to work her fundraising magic, but she can't raise all of the money in time. They say that there's only two weeks left before they reach a deal. Damn it! I wish my ancestors owned the entire mountain range instead of just that one small patch of land. Then we wouldn't be in this situation."

"There's still at least two weeks. If it's anything like your typical large transaction, there will be at least another week of paperwork and finalizing numbers before things are official."

Naruko looked pleadingly at her boyfriend. "You're smart, can you think of anything that will help?"

"Me? Unlikely. My genius brother has been trying to work on that issue for a while now and even he hadn't come up with a viable solution. Last I heard he had to resign his position to work on the Akatsuki deal."

Naruko frowned. She wracked her brain, trying to come up with a plan. A wicked smile crept on her face before leaning in close to his ear. "I'll let you fuck me in the ass."

"What?!"

"If you figure out a solution, I'll let you fuck me in the ass."

Sasuke grabbed her by the shoulders and stared straight into her eyes. "Are you serious? Would you really let me do that?" It was a request he needed to know was real. He never was able to convince Sakura to have anal sex. The one time he brought it up, she told him not to touch her and forced him to sleep on the couch that night.

"If you can find a way to save the Kyuubi Mountains, I will," Naruko said in a singsong voice. She put her hand on his inner thigh and whispered into his ear. "It's the only virgin part of my body left. I'll give it to you if you succeed."

That was all Sasuke needed to hear: he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. "That ass will be mine."

He grabbed a jacket and rushed out the door leaving Naruko half-kneeling on the couch. She stared at the empty space on the couch and then the door.

"Fuck! I wanted to screw before he left." Naruko went to the bedroom and rummaged through her backpack until she found what she was looking for; a long dimpled dildo with blue swirls. "Oh Rasengan, what would I do without you."

* * *

><p>"It happened when I was cleaning her room. I was sweeping under her bed when out rolled a vibrator and a pack of condoms. Then I knew that my little girl had become a woman."<p>

"That's horrible!"

"I know!" Kushina said. She downed her glass of wine and refilled it. She lost count of how much she had drunk. There were at least three empty bottles at her feet, not counting the ones near Mikoto or the mixed drinks they had earlier.

"Well, the first time I knew for sure that Sasuke and Sakura were having sex was when I found Sakura's panties in his pile of laundry. I've never been able to find any condoms so I don't even know if they were using protection. At least Itachi had the decency to keep any of his sexual encounters out of the house."

"Ah, I love the conversations we have when we're drunk. It's nice to be able to kick back, relax, and gossip about our children." Kushina stared at her wine glass, swishing the ruby red liquid around. "When was the last time we did this?"

"When we came up with your brilliant plan that got our kids together," Mikoto said finishing off another glass. "I can't believe it worked."

"Do you think we made a mistake?"

"You mean in getting our kids together?"

Kushina nodded. "I saw Sakura today. She has a new boyfriend, but I can't help feeling guilty for what we did. I know that Naruko's been feeling glum about it too. I mean, I'm happy for our children, but I didn't even stop to consider Sakura's feelings. She never deserved it."

Mikoto sighed. "You're right. It was pretty bitchy of us."

Kushina laughed. "You're cursing now. How many bottles have we gone through already?"

"I lost count," Mikoto smiled, opening a fresh bottle. "We should apologize to her."

"We should. Once the thing with the Kyuubi Mountains gets resolved, let's treat her to a full-spa treatment and a shopping spree. She likes that type of stuff, right?"

"Who wouldn't? We should get a male stripper too." Mikoto smiled, picturing how much she would appreciate a gift like that. "But do you want to know a secret?"

"What?"

"I never wanted Sakura to marry Sasuke."

Kushina looked dubious. "Really? Why not?"

"Her father had pink hair," Mikoto whispered.

"So?"

"What if it was a dominant gene? I don't want any of my grandsons to have pink hair. They'll get bullied!"

Kushina laughed. "Is that the only reason you didn't want Sakura to marry your son?"

Mikoto was indignant. "It's a perfectly good reason."

"You and your drunk logic. But I can see your point. Me though, I wouldn't mind having grandsons with pink hair. Hell, if I could pop out another kid and it was a boy, I would have tried pairing him up with Sakura. Heck, if Naruto had survived, I would have forced them into a marriage before they reached puberty."

"But the pink hair!"

"Stop worrying so much about that. The pink hair looks absolutely adorable on Sakura. Besides, what if your grandsons have blond hair?"

Mikoto thought for a moment. "I can handle blond. It's a perfectly acceptable hair color to have for either a boy or a girl. All I know is that our kids will make beautiful grandbabies."

"And we are going to spoil those kids rotten." Kushina raised her glass. "To babies!"

"Babies!"

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you don't want me to touch you? I want to try fucking you in the ass," Naruto said catching the clothes Sakura threw at him.<p>

"Yeah, I heard you and I'm not doing it. I have no interest in having anyone put anything in my anus. There are just some things you don't do."

"Have you ever had anal sex?"

"No!"

"Well guess what? Neither have I! Let's try it together. Maybe it'll be the best thing ever." Naruto walked towards her wearing nothing but a smile.

Sakura held him back with her hands. "Naruto, you are not going to convince me to do that."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Is that a challenge?"

"No, it's not a challenge. I'm serious. I just don't know how anal sex could be pleasurable at all. So if you want to have sex before bed we can, but that dick of yours better stay clear of my anus."

Naruto pointed to his crotch. "This one, this dick of mine?"

"Yes, that one."

There was a pregnant pause before Naruto nodded his head. "Alright. This penis will not go near your anus. I promise. Now can we fuck?"

"Yes."

Sakura barely finished speaking before Naruto cheered and jumped on top of her. They rolled around on the bed and kissed. Once she was wet and ready, Naruto rolled onto his back and wagged his eyebrows. Sakura didn't hesitate to straddle his hips and slowly sink down. She always loved having control. She leaned back a bit to get a different angle and screamed loudly when Naruto hit her sweet spot.

When she came down from her high, she leaned forward and kissed Naruto deeply. She continued to move her hips while pressing against his muscled chest. Naruto wrapped his arms around her back and crossed his fingers together to make a sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"What?" Sakura asked.

Before Naruto could answer, she heard a loud pop behind her. She was about to turn around to figure out what was going on, but Naruto pulled her in for a deep kiss. She could hear someone rummaging around behind her and panicked.

"What's going on?" Sakura said trying to push herself off of Naruto.

Naruto held her in place. "Don't worry, that's just my clone."

"Clone?"

Another Naruto walked into the room with a jar of petroleum jelly. The clone had spread a generous amount of the stuff on and was crawling up behind her.

"Naruto! What are you doing?"

"I'm going to convince you. Trust me on this."

"I thought I told you that you weren't going to go near there!" Sakura struggled against his hold.

"You said that my penis wasn't allowed near your anus and it's not. It's currently inside you. But you never said anything about my clone's penis."

Sakura looked warily at the clone behind her. She hadn't been able to move an inch. Then she felt Naruto's tongue lick sensual circles on her throat. She moaned feeling him reach the shell of her ear. The clone joined in the fun and used the tip of his tongue to lick up her back toward her neck. Naruto loosened his grip slightly so he could reach her breasts, lavishing them with attention. He never stopped his movements, pushing her closer to the edge. Despite her reservations, the clone and Naruto were working wonderfully together to relax her body and bring her to climax. The sensations were too much and she grabbed a fist-full of sheets and came again.

As Sakura was catching her breath, Naruto cupped her face. "Do you trust me?"

She looked into his bright blue eyes and nodded.

"Good. Just relax. I won't do anything that'll hurt you."

Sakura felt Naruto squeezed her butt and make room for the clone. The clone stuck his finger inside and slowly prodded around. The foreign feelings were incredible. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. Surprisingly, she started to feel the build up. The clone stretched her by inserting another finger. A throaty moan escaped her lips and she moved her hips in time with Naruto's thrusts and the clone's fingers. The clone curled his fingers in a peculiar way that caused Sakura to come hard.

Once she recovered, Sakura kissed Naruto on the lips. "I'm ready."

"Stay relaxed, you're doing great," Naruto whispered.

The clone positioned himself at the entrance and rubbed it back and fourth. Naruto pulled her in for a searing kiss while the clone slowly pushed forward. Sakura moaned into the kiss. She was relishing the feeling of being filled up in both ends. The clone started moving slowly, ever so slowly. There was a slight sting that eventually went away after she got used to being stretched. When Naruto sensed that she had adjusted, he started moving again. The sensations were almost too much for her. She gripped the sheets, Naruto, and anything she could get her hands on. The clone and Naruto were pounding into her from both ends bringing her to the brink of insanity. Sweat glistened off of her body. She felt a hot breath on the back of her neck and one on her chest. Getting fucked by two men, even if one was a clone of the other, was an experience in and of itself. Just before she was about to come, Sakura bit down on Naruto's shoulder and drew blood. The dam broke and both Naruto and the clone were brought over the edge.

Three tangled bodies lay in a sweaty heap on the bed. Naruto dispelled the clone and he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sakura lifted her head up slightly and kissed the bite mark she left on Naruto's shoulder.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. So, did you like that?"

With a tired smile, she nodded. "I was wrong. It felt good. Different. But good."

Naruto kissed her. "Thanks for letting me do that. It was amazing."

The lovers lay like that for a few more minutes before finding the strength to move. Sakura rolled over and managed to sit-up on the bed. She slapped Naruto on the thigh and encouraged him to get up.

"Come on Naruto. It's time for a shower."

"Now? I thought you liked to shower in the morning."

"I do, but my ass is covered in petroleum jelly and I know where your clone has been. We shower."

Naruto knew he shouldn't argue, especially since she let him touch her down there when she expressly told him not to. Besides, he wanted to get a good look at the bite mark on his shoulder before it healed up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yes, Kushina and Mikoto make all of the major family decisions while drunk. They're like the Real Housewives of Konoha. Itachi makes an appearance next chapter and we get a brief mythology lesson.


	12. Mythos of the Tailed Beasts

**Chapter 12: Mythos of the Tailed-Beasts**

He was having another late night at the office. It was becoming a regular occurrence since he was assigned the Akatsuki project. The company's financials were solid, but there was still much left to be desired about their construction practices. He put his pen down and sighed, taking a break to sip from his now cold cup of coffee. He hardly reacted when he saw Sasuke barge through his office door and slam his hands on his desk.

"Itachi, I need your help!"

"Good to see you little brother. What can I do for you?"

"I need to know what you've done so far on the ICHA project to acquire the land around the Kyuubi Mountains."

"Ah, that." Itachi swiveled in his chair and opened a filing cabinet to pull out a thick manila folder. "Here's the file with everything you need to know about ICHA's finances and the Kyuubi Mountain properties. Is there any reason why you need this?"

Sasuke glanced at Itachi as he scanned the file. "Naruko wants me to do what I can to save the mountains from Akatsuki's purchase."

"How noble of you," Itachi smirked.

"There aren't any additional loans that ICHA can apply for?"

"ICHA's trying their best to stay in the black. Until they can come up with a viable patent or product from their research, they're relying primarily on loans for their operating expenses."

Sasuke grunted, scanning the files some more. "What about the city? What's their stance on the sale?"

"The listing is in the back of the file. Currently, the city has no stance one way or another. It's pretty much first come, first served. I was able to at least buy ICHA some time by purchasing the land that their facility rests on."

"Where did they get the funding for that?"

"My trust fund," Itachi answered coolly.

Sasuke looked up at him briefly, trying to hide the shock. He shook it off and regained his composure. "All your notes on the matter are here?"

"In chronological order. Do you need anything else?"

Sasuke closed the file and shook his head. "I'm just going to borrow this for a while. Thanks Itachi."

Itachi didn't even have time to say anything before Sasuke left his office, not even bothering to wave good-bye. He was somewhat startled and proud of Sasuke's attitude. He had never seen him so motivated before. It looked like his younger brother was growing up "Good luck, Sauske."

* * *

><p>It was one of her busy days on campus. She would either be in class, in a lab, or studying. Like the studious person she was, she had already read up on the lesson for next class and had some time to kill. Since the weather was nice, she decided to take a walk around campus. Several professors were teaching class outside. She noticed that one of them was a favorite from her undergrad years. His class was just finishing up and Sakura decided to be polite and have a word with him.<p>

"Hello Professor Sarutobi, how are you today?"

The old man's face brightened in recognition. "Ah, Sakura! How are you?"

"Doing well. Thank you. Still teaching Literature?"

"As well as Ancient Mythology. I just finished with that class before you came. I'm disappointed that you never enrolled. You were such an astute student, I thought the subject would have greatly interested you."

"Sorry Professor, but there were so many prerequisites for my Biology major, I just didn't have the time." Sakura looked down and noticed the book that he was holding had a picture of a nine-tailed fox on the cover. "If I may ask, what's that book about?"

Professor Sarutobi held the book out in front of him. "Ah, this? This is a book about the different legends and myths of the tailed beasts."

"The tailed beasts?"

"Yes, they're mythical creatures that were said to have roamed the land many years ago."

"Wow, can you tell me more about them?"

"Ah, you're interested in a lecture then?" the old man laughed.

"Well, only if you're free."

"But of course! Let's just gather my things and we can head back to my office."

Sakura and Professor Sarutobi entered his office, which was situated in the top floor of the oldest academic building on campus. It was filled with books, ancient manuscripts, and paintings. Several pipes and a box of tobacco rested on the mantle of an iron-wrought fireplace. A large wall-scroll depicting nine beasts hung over the mantle. It was a beautiful painting done entirely in black ink. The painting showed the beasts from the one-tail all the way up to the nine-tails. Sakura's eyes remained on the nine-tails, noticing the elongated ears and fearsome canines. She couldn't picture Naruto ever looking like that. The Naruto that she knew simply wasn't the fearsome creature depicted in the picture.

"So you like the painting of the tailed beasts?" The old man asked.

"Yes. It's very interesting. What's the story behind them?"

"The myth behind them is that long ago when the world was still very young, a single creature ruled the land. He was created from the life energy of the earth. All creatures bent to his will. He had ten-tails that stretched from one end of the world to the other and the power to create life or end it. He was called the Juubi. As the creatures of the world grew, so did the responsibilities of the ten-tailed beast. It almost became too much for the Juubi to handle.

"Then one day, a man came to the Juubi telling him that he should divide his power to maintain control and balance over nature. The Juubi listened to the man and did just that. He used his powers and ripped his body apart into nine different parts. His arms became the one and two tails; his legs the three and fourth; his head the fifth; his stomach the sixth; his lungs the seventh; his sexual organs the eighth; and his heart the nine tails. The creatures were all special to him because they were born from his body: his children. He gave each child a portion of his powers according to their tails. The nine-tailed beast was the strongest, but even he didn't have nearly the strength of his father.

"Once the ten-tailed beast split, his children scattered into different parts of the world to maintain order and balance. But what the Juubi didn't know was that the man wanted the Juubi to divide his powers in order to be able to take those powers for himself. He set out on a journey to try and collect the tailed beasts so he could become the most powerful man in the world.

"Of course what the man forgot was that the Juubi was a careful and wise creature. When he split himself up, he told his children to be wary of man; that trust had to be earned. He also gave his children the ability to communicate with their minds so they could let each other know when they were in danger. With this warning in mind, the man was never able to capture any of the tailed beasts and they were able to rule over their lands peacefully. It is said that the man never gave-up his quest to find the beasts and that his ambitions still live on to this day. But that's all conjecture.

"And so time went by and the tailed beasts staved off any threats to their lands, protecting the natural energy and spirits around them. They knew their duty and did their best to maintain the balance of nature. This has been the way for eons, at least according to some sources. Some myths say that the tailed beasts would often take human form. They would mingle amongst men to educate and prepare themselves to better learn how to anticipate any threats. A few argue that the beasts only started taking human hosts to strengthen their power and that the beasts themselves don't turn into humans.

"Some myths have them taking a human partner, such as the famous tale of the six-tailed beast, Utakata, and the maiden Hotaru. There are also some myths that describe how the tailed beasts have died off after mankind discovered technology. Some theorize that their disappearance is because mankind no longer believes in the natural or spiritual ties to plants and animals, or the tailed beasts. There are many other different myths about them, but that's the brief synopsis," Professor Sarutobi explained.

"Wow, that's fascinating. So do you think that the tailed beasts ever existed?"

"Possibly. They weren't physical creatures like dinosaurs or other extinct animals. They were manifestations of natural energy. There is evidence of different ancient shrines throughout the world dedicated to certain animals that were said to represent the tailed beasts. For example, the Uzumaki Shrine in the Kyuubi Mountains was built to protect the foxes and fox spirits in the woods. In all depictions of the nine-tailed beast, he is pictured as a large fox-like creature. The mountain range is even named after the tailed beast, though no one is certain whether or not the tailed beast named the mountains or if it originated from the tribal clans that were founded in Konoha."

"Do you think anyone can see them? Or that maybe people have met one and never known?"

Professor Sarutobi laughed. "That's quite possible. I can't say that I've ever seen one, but I do believe that they existed. My colleagues and I are among the contingency that thinks the reason the tailed beasts aren't seen by man today or that we don't hear about them is because as a society, we've stopped believing. I'll admit that part of the reason for why I enjoy teaching this class is in the hopes that one day I'll teach enough students about the tailed beasts and they'll eventually reappear."

"You want to see them?"

"Why yes. They're the protectors of nature. The entire reason why the Juubi split into nine creatures was to maintain balance in the world. He couldn't do it by himself. It was simply too much for one creature to handle. At least, that's what I'd like to think. There are even some theories that the nine creatures have changed hands over the years and that when a tailed beast dies off, another is reborn in its place. This is how they try to explain certain natural disasters or other events. The great floods that shaped Water Country were said to be caused by the death of the three-tails. Of course, those are all theories based on the literature and history of our world. My son complains that I'm getting too old and starting to get senile, but I guess that's what old men like me are good for; telling stories."

Sakura laughed. "I don't think you're senile. And I actually found the information very interesting." Though she wasn't going to admit the fact that her interest stemmed from wanting to know more about Naruto.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed the lecture. You should read the myth about Utakata and Hotaru. It's actually a more romantic love story than a myth. The girls in my class always enjoy it."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Professors Danzo, Koharu, and Homura entered the office and interrupted their conversation. The three had come to remind Professor Sarutobi about the staff meeting that was about to start. Sakura had had all three as professors in college and liked all but one. Professor Danzo was the only professor to give her a "C." It was the only blemish in her undergrad career. The strict bastard was impossible to please and was notorious for being the hardest professor on campus. The professor once stated that if he took his own class, he would only get a "B;" that's just how much of a hard-ass he was. She would have never taken his class if she didn't need a government prerequisite.

Professor Sarutobi nodded to his colleagues and gently pat Sakura's back. "My apologies Sakura. It looks like I have a meeting to attend. I hope you enjoyed our chat."

"I did, thank you. I'm glad I was able to chat with you."

"Anytime Sakura. Feel free to drop by again if you have any questions."

Sakura took her leave and headed to the library to check out the myth he had referred to. It was fortunate she talked with Professor Sarutobi. There were things that she already knew, but also things that Naruto could have never known. She wondered how Naruto became a tailed beast and whether there was anything in the mythology that would hint at that. The more she knew, the more curious she became; the more curious she became, the less likely she could keep Naruto at arms length. It was a slippery slope, but she didn't seem to care if she fell off the edge.

* * *

><p>AN: Next chapter we get to see Sakura's dreams, or at least one of them.


	13. Dreams of Mystic Foxes

**Chapter 13: Dreams of Mystic Foxes**

Sakura should have been ashamed of herself. The overachiever in her would have wept at what she just did. It was unlike her to miss an assignment, let alone skip class, but she couldn't help it. The myth about Utakata and Hotaru was so interesting. She spent the entire class holed-up in the library reading a love story. She wondered if there were any shrines in Mizu that were dedicated to the mythological couple or if their ancestors still lived in the area. It was touching how Utakata gave up his role as a tailed beast to live with Hotaru. He must have loved her greatly if he was willing forfeit his power just to be with her. She contemplated whether or not Naruto would ever do the same for her.

On her way back to her apartment, she noticed a familiar person near the edge of campus. It was Naruko. She was sitting on a bench waiting for someone. Sakura wasn't sure whether or not she should walk past the girl and ignore her or talk to her like they were friends. It wasn't like there was a manual on how to properly greet the woman who was currently dating her ex. She didn't have to decide once Naruko saw Sakura standing a few feet away. The girl got up and walked straight towards her.

With a look of determination, she spoke, "Sakura, we need to talk."

"Okay." Sakura led them to a bench where they sat in uncomfortable silence. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"First, I wanted to say 'I'm sorry' for stealing Sasuke from you. I never meant to do it. It's just that . . . things happened. Did you know that my Mom always wanted me to date Sasuke ever since I was little? Apparently she and Sasuke's mother are like best friends or something. They always thought it would be cute if I dated one of her sons. I absolutely hated the idea so avoided Sasuke like the plague. But my Mom had a plan. So we spent that summer together and got stuck on an island. And well, you know the rest."

"I know," Sakura said calmly. "It's alright. I forgive you."

"Are you fucking insane? How can you be so nice to me right now? If I were you, I would have wanted to rip my head off or something. I feel like the lowest form of human scum because I stole your man. I'm the other woman. I've always hated girls who were the other woman and now look at me. How can you forgive me for something like that?"

"I was mad at you for the longest time. I hated both you and Sasuke. There were times when I dreamed of pulling your pigtails off or slapping you across the face. But I eventually got over it." Sakura knew it wasn't entirely her fault. It was easier to forgive when the blame hadn't been entirely hers.

Naruko looked at her bewildered. "Got over it?"

Sakura nodded. "I only recently realized that though Sasuke and I had a great relationship, we were complacent. Sure, we were compatible and you could say that we were even in love with each other. But I think Sasuke said it best to me a few days ago: we never had a spark."

Naruko paused, absorbing Sakura's words. "I'm still sorry for taking him from you. I would have liked it better if you hadn't been dating him at the time we fell-in-love."

"I know. I wish that too. But he seems happier now that he's with you. More so than he's ever been with me. I hate to say it, but you two are good for each other. Maybe it was best that you stole him from me."

"I still feel like I need to make it up to you somehow. Maybe you can fuck one of my old boyfriends or something and then gloat about it."

Sakura held her hands out in front of her. "No. That's fine. I don't think I need to do anything like that. I do thank you for apologizing."

"Oh, I know! When Sasuke and I start popping out babies, we'll name our daughter after you!"

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself now. You don't really have to do all that."

Naruko smiled. "You know what Sakura? You're one-of-a-kind. Thanks for forgiving me and all. I hated myself for the longest time after getting together with Sasuke. It's really weird though, falling in love with him. I always thought he was such a stuck-up pansy that the thought of sleeping with him grossed me out. But then we spent the summer together and I got to really see him."

Sakura patted her hand. "I'm glad you two found each other then. It may not have been the most ideal circumstances, but in the end it was for the best. Sasuke and I had gotten so used to each other, neither one of us would have looked at anyone else, even if there was someone better out there."

"Thanks Sakura."

The two girls hugged and stood up to take their leave.

"By the way," Naruko said to Sakura before she walked off.

"What?"

"That Naruto guy, your boyfriend. He's pretty cool. I think he brings out the best in you."

Sakura blushed. "Why do you say that?"

"Your skin. It has a glow to it. I don't think I've ever seen you like that before, even when you were with Sasuke. He's a keeper."

"Thanks."

Naruko's words buzzed in her head during the walk back to the apartment. She looked down at her arms and didn't notice anything different about them. Touching her face, she wondered if she really did glow now that she was dating Naruto? Was it because she was in love? She shook her head and refocused her thoughts on more pressing matters. Though right now, all she wanted to do was look in the mirror to see if she really appeared as vibrant as she felt.

* * *

><p>She was running through the forest. Her heart raced and she breathed heavily: desperately. She looked back to see if he was still following her. Two glowing red eyes tracked her figure through the darkness of the night. She decided to take to the trees, hoping that she would lose him there. Using her ninja skills, she jumped up and whizzed through the branches. She was so focused on getting to the next branch that she didn't notice the shadow up ahead of her.<p>

Once she landed, she was grabbed from behind and pinned to the tree. Her head spun, dizzy from the sudden movement. When she opened her eyes, she stared into the deep ruby hue of her assailant. The deep black whisker marks on his face gave him an erotically feral look. His tongue slid over his canines, hinting at his dangerous intentions. She knew the consequences of getting caught and her knees trembled.

"You're getting careless. I was able to catch you only after a few minutes. I thought you were trying to run away."

"Perhaps I did run fast enough, but you were too eager to catch me."

The man chuckled running his hand up her thighs. "Me? Eager? You certainly wanted me to catch you faster. You're only wearing a skirt today. Where did your underwear go you naughty girl?"

She moaned, relishing the feel of him. "I couldn't spare another pair of panties. You always rip them up."

She lifted her left leg to give him better access. He inserted another finger and unzipped her red top. Her hands ran through his hair, feeling his tongue swirl against her chest. The man searched with his fingers and jabbed at her sweet spot, sending her over the edge. Her knees nearly gave out, but he kept her steady with his arms and made a point of slowly licking his fingers clean of every single drop.

"Delicious."

The man held her in his arms and jumped down from the tree. He laid her down gently on a soft patch of grass. She watched transfixed on his movements. He made a show of pulling his orange pants down before settling between her legs. She eagerly pulled up her skirt until it bunched around her waist. Translucent tendrils of red ghosted across her skin, leaving a sensation of hot touches. His chakra flared with lust, seducing every inch of her body.

"Are you ready?"

She wrapped her legs around him and tried to push him forward. "Just put it in already."

He chuckled. "As you wish."

They both moaned in pleasure as he entered her. The thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of capture drove their libidos to immeasurable limits. The pair danced under the light of the moon for hours on end. She let him take her in any and every position imaginable. Her voice was hoarse from screaming his name into the night and his senses danced in frenzy. She could tell that he was near his end by the sheer force of his actions. With one final push, she screamed and he filled her to the brink. The lovers took deep breaths of each other; holding onto the moment, the sensations.

"You're a fucking minx, you know that?"

"I thought vixen would be more appropriate given who you are."

"Yes. Vixen. My vixen."

* * *

><p>Sakura opened her eyes and blushed. She had never had a dream like that before. She guessed that it had something to do with reading the myth about Utakata and Hotaru. It had taken place many years ago and that may have explained why she had a vision of herself and Naruto in ancient Konoha. Though it was a strange dream, it was also extremely hot.<p>

She could tell that she was ready. Her body shivered when she ran her hand across her stomach. She looked over at Naruto to find him sleeping soundly beside her. The alarm clock on her nightstand indicated that it was around three in the morning. Her body wanted to be touched so badly right now. Sakura wondered if she should wake him, but thought against it. That would be rude. She was glad that Naruto had convinced her to sleep naked with him tonight; she didn't have to worry about removing her panties.

Slowly dragging her hand across her body, she sighed when she reached her goal. She inserted her fingers and started. A soft moan escaped her lips and she closed her eyes in satisfaction. She spread her legs wider, thankful that she had a queen sized-bed where she could do this without bothering Naruto. She continued her ministrations, oblivious to the world around her.

What she didn't expect, but probably should have, was the feeling of muscular hands pulling her hand out and a tongue gliding across her. Sakura moaned and looked to the side to find that Naruto wasn't there. Instead, he was under the sheets with his head between her legs.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked, pulling the sheets up to look at him.

He stopped licking her momentarily and their eyes met. "You should have woken me up if you were horny. I'm never tired for sex." Naruto grinned and then went back to eating her out.

Sakura dropped the sheet feeling the tingling sensations running up and down her body. Naruto had always been skilled with his tongue. It also helped that he absolutely loved licking every part of her body, especially down there. It didn't take long for her to come. It was long and hard with Naruto eagerly lapping up every last drop.

She lay panting in the bed as Naruto crawled out from under the covers and lay above her. "What got you in the mood?"

"I had a dream."

"Must have been a great dream."

"It was," Sakura smiled.

"What was it about?"

Before Sakura could answer, Naruto entered her. She gasped her answer. "You and I were having sex."

"Oh, those are the best type of dreams. Where were we?"

"In the woods. We were ninjas."

Naruto licked her neck and repositioned one of her legs until it was above his shoulder. "Ninjas? Do tell. How did I fuck you?"

"You fingered me," Sakura gasped. "Then you fucked me in every position possible."

"Like this?"

"Yes!" She screamed out loud as she came. Naruto swung her leg around until both of her legs were on one side of his before he continued.

"How many positions did I screw you in?"

"I don't know, there were too many."

"Were there any that we haven't tried yet?"

"Just one."

"Oh really? Then we have to try it out," Naruto slowly pulled out and sat up to give her space. "Show me."

Sakura turned around and then got on her hands and knees. "Make a clone."

A clone popped up in front of her looking for direction. "But we've done it this way before," Naruto said.

"I know, but now I need to suck your clone's cock."

The clone didn't hesitate and got into position. She took it into her mouth eagerly while she felt Naruto filling her up from behind. The position was a huge turn-on. She could feel the build up and worked faster on the clone. It didn't take long for all three to reach the edge. With a few movements of her tongue and Naruto's eagerness, they released the pent-up tension.

When the sensations subsided, the clone disappeared with a pop. Naruto collapsed on top of her as Sakura sank down to her stomach. The lovers were tired and sweaty, but also fully sated.

"Wow, that was hot," Naruto said.

"I know."

"Looks like I created a monster."

"A monster?" Sakura turned until she faced him. "What kind of a monster?"

"A sex monster."

Sakura playfully smacked him on the chest. "I'm not a sex monster. If anyone is it's you."

"Hey, I already know I'm one. But now you're turning into one too."

"Says who?"

"Says the one who was woken up to the sounds of you playing with yourself. And also the one who was told to make a clone to form a threesome. I can't believe I never thought of that."

Sakura blushed. "It's your fault for bringing that out of me. But I have to admit, you do know how to keep a girl satisfied."

"It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it," Naruto said with a stretch.

She laughed and placed her head on his chest. Her thoughts wandered and she remembered the myth of Utakata and Hotaru. "Hey Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could ever live with me? I mean, stay with me here, like we are now?"

"Isn't that what I'm doing?"

Sakura propped herself on her elbows and faced him. "I don't mean like this. Well, I kind of do, but something a little more. What I mean is, what would you think about staying with me like this for as long as you liked? We could live together; just you and me."

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. "That sounds nice Sakura. It really does. But I can't stay with you here forever. You know that. The spirits need me. The mountains need me. But I'm not going to give up on you."

"Give up on me?"

"Yeah, because I can't picture myself ever living without you. You're mine and I'm yours. I don't know how long it's going to take for me to convince you to come with me, but I'm willing to wait."

Sakura put her head back on his chest and smiled. "Oh Naruto."

He smoothed over her hair. "Sleep Sakura. We don't have to make any life altering decisions tonight. Just know that no matter what, I'll be with you."

"Okay. Good night, Naruto."

"Good night, Sakura."

She fell asleep with a smile on her face. Her dreams were filled with various images of her and Naruto. They were living in different places, different lives: as young hipsters in Konoha, roaming the woods naked, or as foxes running through the Konoha Mountains. She wouldn't remember any of these dreams when she woke up. None of that mattered though. What was more important was that a part of her realized something very important: she wanted to be with Naruto.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Reminder that the uncensored version is located at the narusaku Heaven & Earth website. In the next chapter, we get to see Ino again.


	14. When Doves Cry

**Chapter 14: When Doves Cry**

Sasuke scratched his scraggly chin as he scoured over the various land plats. He hadn't had time to shower and shave since he finished reviewing the file that Itachi gave him. The courthouse opened up at eight in the morning and he was one of the first through the door. The clerks had been giving him funny looks all morning, but he didn't care. He was a man on a mission and he wasn't going to leave until he got what he needed.

While looking over the plats, he studied a select few that seemed insignificant by themselves. They were small, but all strategically located. An idea started to form. He grabbed the plats and made copies. He would have to go to city hall and talk to the city developer about pricing. If he remembered the numbers correctly, he could possibly pull something off. Luckily for Sasuke, he had resources at his hand and favors to call in. He would have to get back to his apartment to shower and change; it wouldn't do to talk business looking like a slovenly pig.

He knew would succeed where Itachi failed. The task wasn't simply about trying to make his girlfriend happy; though that was still the driving force. If he could save the Kyuubi Mountains, then he would have done something that Itachi hadn't. That, in and of itself, was motivation to forgo lunch and press on. He had nothing to lose.

* * *

><p>She hadn't even completed her first week at ICHA, but Ino could already tell that this was what she wanted to do after she got her Masters. Not only were they letting her do field work, but she also got to work with the biologists on researching plants. They hoped to discover the potential each plant had to offer. There was also the added benefit of getting to be with her two boy-toys. Never had she met two guys who were willing to share the same girl. Both were talented in their own way and equally adorable. Ino had Lady Luck on her side and she knew it.<p>

She was taking some notes down on some different varietals of flowers they had found in the woods when she heard a loud commotion outside. The noise was so loud, that all of the researchers in her cabin decided to drop their work and head out to see what was causing the ruckus. When Ino and the rest of the scientists got outside, they all noticed several new faces in the crowd. They were unloading boxes of research from muddy ICHA jeeps.

Another researcher commented, "it's the guys from Lightning Lakes. I thought they weren't supposed to get here until next week."

Curiously, they all gathered around the other ICHA scientists. It was a chaotic scene. Ino noticed that Karin was trying to comfort a white-haired man while Jiraya and Tsunade were talking to a pale-man with long black hair.

"Orochimaru, what are you doing here so early?" Jiraya asked.

"It was Akatsuki. They somehow got the government in Kiri to pull our permits and kick us out. They only gave us an hour to get everything we could before they razed the place."

"What!?" Tsunade screamed. "They can't do that. That's illegal. What sort of operation do they run? What about our research, our buildings?"

Orochimaru looked down on the ground. "They burned it down. Whatever we couldn't get into our jeeps, they just destroyed. We were able to get all our personnel out alive, but our research . . . "

"Those bastards! Jiraya! Get Nara on the phone. I need him to bring a lawsuit against Akatuski and whoever else is involved in this."

"Tsunade, that's not the only thing they did." Orochimaru looked sadly over at his weary crew. "They burned the woods surrounding the lakes and did a fish kill. The bulldozers and machines were already waiting to push all of the rubble and ash aside before the last tree even fell."

Jiraya and Tsunade stared at their colleague in shock. Jiraya was the first to speak. "How bad was the damage?"

Orochimaru shook his head. "I don't know. I think they destroyed the area only as far as their property line, but I doubt it."

No one knew what to say after hearing what had happened. The crew from Lightning Lakes were all still in shock. They saw their facility burn to the ground along with the area they were trying to preserve. Many of them were in tears, holding onto one another for comfort. Naturally, the crew from Konoha was stunned to hear how ruthless Akatsuki had been. The thought that Akatsuki had also set its sights on the Kyuubi Mountains put everyone on edge.

Tsunade sensed the tension in the air and raised her voice to address the crowd. "Everyone! I know that the news about what happened to Lightning Lakes comes as a surprise to you all. But we shouldn't let this set back deter us from our goal. We will continue to fight to keep ICHA in business and preserve these lands. I will personally see to it that Akatsuki gets sent through the ringer for their blatant disregard of the law. Now I want everyone to help the crew from Kiri get situated and organize their research. Everyone should already know how we were going to transition the new crew so let's get started and stay focused. I'm not letting any construction crew or builder step one foot near this place if it's the last thing I do. Now let's move!"

The speech did its job and the crew sprang into action. Team leaders gave out orders and crews worked diligently. They needed to document the research and keep all of the specimens safe.

Ino helped to moveboxes of plant specimens into her cabin. She unloaded the samples, taking note of beautiful shapes and colors of the flowers that resided in Kiri. There was a melancholy feeling in the air. She knew that most of these flowers and plants were only indigenous to the environment of Kiri. She also knew that Lightning Lakes was one of the last places were a few of these species lived. With the utmost care, Ino placed the samples in their proper place. Rows of reds, blues, and pink petals were a stark contrast to the white boxes they were housed in. The smell of smoke from the fires masked the flowers' delicate scent. She reached out and touched one of the flowers, admiring the softness. She pulled her hand back at the first onset of tears. Ino may not have been there to see the fires that ravaged the lands, but she could feel the pain from miles away. Too much had been destroyed, and Ino only saw a small fraction of the many things that were lost that day. These flowers were the last of their kind and the last that would ever be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Short bridge chapter here. The next chapter will be much longer. Sakura and Naruto get some special guests. In other news, I will be participating in NaNoWriMo for 2012. Originally, my husband was going to, but he decided against it this year so he could finish up his fanfic "Last of the Cetra" (highly recommended for any FF7 fans). This fic was actually my NaNoWriMo story from 2011, but this year I think I'm going to dabble in original fiction.


	15. And Then There Were Two

**Chapter 15: And Then There Were Two**

They were having lunch when he felt it. He could feel the pain from miles away. It was sudden and confusing. His skin itched and his body was on fire, burning from the inside. Sakura knelt next to Naruto and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. She asked what was wrong, but he didn't know what to tell her. The sensations were indescribable. However, there was no denying it: Bee was dying.

Sakura felt helpless. Nothing she did could soothe him. After a few minutes, the pain ebbed until an empty void was left. Naruto breathed deeply to calm himself. They didn't speak or move. Her hands were the only things that he could feel. It was a small comfort, one he relished after the jolt to his senses. He needed to explain everything.

Before he could speak, a cloud of sand appeared, swirling around the room. Sakura closed her eyes in shock while Naruto gritted his teeth. Once the sand settled, two figures stood in the kitchen completely naked.

"Gaara," Naruto gasped. "It's Bee."

The red-haired man nodded. "Kiri is on fire. They've burned his forests and poisoned his lakes."

"But who would do such a thing?"

"Man."

Naruto closed his eyes and both men remained silent for what felt like an eternity. The woman who came with Gaara held his hand in hers while she too bowed her head down respectfully. Sakura was left watching them all, worried about what was going on, but also at a loss at what to do.

Naruto finally lifted his head letting a few tears fall down his face. "He's gone. Bee's gone."

Gaara nodded. "He was given no warning. He didn't stand a chance."

Naruto slammed his fist against the table. "Damn it! He was so strong too. And now . . . now there are only the two of us."

"Two of us, but only one of us with an advantage."

"What?"

Gaara looked at Sakura and then turned to Naruto. "Tell me. How are your lands?"

Naruto paused. "Sakura, could I have a minute with Gaara?"

"Of course." Sakura walked out into the living room to give them privacy.

"Matsuri, you know what to do," Gaara said squeezing her hand.

"I will do my best."

Once the girls left the room, Naruto turned to Gaara. "She can transport herself?"

"I've taught her how to use my powers. It was a natural consequence for bonding with me."

"Is that partly how you've become so strong?"

"Most likely. How about you? Have you made progress with the girl? Has she named you?"

"She named me Naruto," he smiled. "She's getting used to me. She asked me the other day if I could picture living with her here."

Gaara shook his head. "You know that's not an option."

"I know. I told her that. But she's so wonderful. When I first smelled her scent, I knew she was special. Then, when I tasted her, I knew that I could have no one else as my mate. I'm working on getting her to feel the same for me as I do her. We have sex all of the time."

"It's not about the physical bond. It's the spiritual bond. She has to be willing to be with you through all time. It's a difficult choice because she will be leaving everything that she knows in order to live in your world."

Naruto stood silent for a minute before he spoke. "How did you convince Matsuri?"

"I didn't. She convinced me. She was the one who gave me my name. At first I was going to try and kill her for trespassing. I almost did, but she never once showed any fear of me. Even though she knew I could hurt her, she still continued to visit me. She was the one who convinced me to let her into my world. I was fighting a losing battle and was desperate, so I let her in. Only then did it happen."

"Looks like you had it easy then," Naruto laughed. "She captured your heart, didn't she?"

Gaara nodded. "And I didn't even know when she did. Must have been between all of the times we had sex."

"I think I know what you mean."

"But our circumstances are a little different." Gaara gestured around him.

"How so?"

"You're getting used to living among humans. You're even wearing clothes."

"Did Matsuri ever try to get you to wear them?"

"Yes, but they were an inconvenience."

"Really? I think they're cool. Sakura even bought them for me." Naruto smoothed out his shirt with pride.

Gaara looked to the side and snorted. "Why bother putting them on when all you need to do later is to take them off to fuck? I destroyed all of my outfits and several of hers that way. It's much simpler to not have any."

"You always were very practical. I used to have that problem too, but Sakura taught me how to sew."

Gaara shook his head. "You're trying too hard to fit into her world. I don't know how that's going to convince her to come with you. I never went to Matsuri's world; she always came to me. I think in my case, Matsuri knew that I was there to protect the desert and she chose to protect it with me. She was the one who gave me the strength to maintain the sandstorms so that man couldn't destroy the desert. I think you need to have her see you in your world for once and make her understand how much you're needed. You have a duty, she has to learn how important that duty is."

"I can try."

"Naruto, you can't just try," Gaara said to him as he put a hand on his shoulders. "You have to succeed. As your friend, I don't want to see you die too. Your lands are already in danger. I sense that the same men that destroyed Bee are after you. They were after me too. You're going to have to defend your lands, with or without Sakura."

Naruto nodded his head in understanding. Though it pained him, he knew what he had to do. He smoothed his hand over the kitchen table. He didn't want to admit it, but he had been tempted to stay with Sakura in her apartment. He wanted to give her all of the time in the world to decide to go with him, even if it meant waiting until they were both old. However, Gaara was right. He had a duty as the nature spirit for the Kyuubi Mountains. With Bee dead, only he and Gaara were left. They had talked often about the repercussions if all of them fell, but no one wanted to imagine that scenario. The only thing they agreed on was that if that were to happen, the world would be thrown out of balance and chaos would reign.

* * *

><p>Sakura sat across from the naked woman uncomfortably. "So, um. Do you need anything? Some tea? A blanket? Clothes?"<p>

Matsuri laughed. "Sorry, I'm fine. I've gotten so used to walking around like this I forgot how inappropriate it was."

"Don't you get cold?"

The naked woman shook her head. "You'd be surprised. After bonding with Gaara, I've been able to stay warm through his powers. Have you ever thought about bonding with the nine-tails?"

"You mean like sex? Well, Naruto and I do that all the time."

"No, not sex. Something more. Perhaps I should phrase it a little differently, do you love him?"

"Love him?" Sakura asked shocked. "I really don't think I can say that. It's too soon for me to fall in love with him."

"Then how does he make you feel?"

Sakura smiled. "Good. Happy. He also infuriates me, but always has this way to make me forget my worries. It's . . . strange, but pleasant. I used to be in a long-term relationship before I met him. I thought I was in love with my ex, but it feels so different with Naruto. I don't know really know how to explain it."

"I think that's a close description of it," Matsuri smiled. "It's really hard to define."

"Really? You think I'm in love with Naruto?"

"Yes. You're worried about him even though he's in the other room. Also your eyes light up whenever you hear his name, a name you gave him I presume. I don't know what your previous relationship was like, but if it feels different than that one, maybe that's because you didn't share the same feelings for your ex as you do for Naruto. Just a thought."

Sakura couldn't help but agree with Matsuri. "How did you know you were ready to bond with Gaara?"

"That's why I'm here to talk to you. Gaara is worried about his friend. I don't know if you were aware, but Naruto's lands are in danger. The same group that tried to take over the Suna Deserts are also vying for the Kyuubi Mountains. They almost destroyed the desert until Gaara and I formed a bond. We didn't even know that it would help increase his powers, but it did and we prevented the construction crews from destroying Gaara's home. Gaara wants to know whether or not you seriously care enough for Naruto to save his home; to save him."

Sakura looked indignant. "Of course I care for him. I've even asked him to stay with me."

"Stay with you?"

"Yes. I know it's silly, but I got the idea after reading the myth of Utakata and Hotaru. He was the six-tailed beast who fell in love with a human girl and decided to forsake his duties to live in her world."

Matsuri took Sakura by the shoulders and squeezed. "You can't ask that of Naruto. The myth of Utakata and Hotaru has been romanticized over the years. In reality, it was a tragedy."

"A tragedy?"

"When I was still in high-school, I read about the myth for class. Once I got to college and started my studies, I took a class in the History of Mizu. Incidentally, we covered the time period when the Utakata and Hotaru myth occurred. Around the time when Utakata joined the human world, a series of unfortunate events plagued Mizu. First, the country was hit with the worst drought in history. The water levels lowered until several lakes dried up. The flora and fauna all suffered since there was no food or water. Once they died off, the villages in Mizu collapsed. The human casualties topped upwards in the tens of thousands. Then came the wildfires. With no water in the lakes, the earth was scorched. There was nothing left. When the lands died off, so did Utakata. Even though he gave-up his duties as a nature spirit, his life-force was still tied to the lands."

Sakura gasped. She had been unaware of the repercussions of Utakata's actions. She always thought it was romantic that the six-tailed beast gave up his position to be with the one he loved. As noble as it may have been, she now understood that there were severe consequences for his actions. "How did Mizu ever recover?"

"It took over a year before the lakes refilled and the trees grew back. I think that's when the next tailed-beast was born. I don't know if that's usually how long it takes for another to replace a fallen tailed-beast, but it makes sense. They're all nature spirits. They probably have to wait until the land gathers enough natural and spiritual energy to create them."

"And with Naruto and Gaara being the last ones left, if they go then there's no telling how long it will take before the world can gather enough natural and spiritual energy to create another tailed-beast."

"Exactly."

Sakura paused. "Do you or Gaara know what will happen if all of the tailed-beasts are gone?"

"No. But neither one of us wants to know. Gaara and I may have bonded and that may have made him stronger, but even we don't know if this power lasts forever. That's why we need Naruto to get stronger too."

"How did you do it?" Sakura asked softly.

"Do what?"

"Leave behind your friends and family just to be with him?"

Matsuri gave Sakura a sympathetic look. "It was hard. At least in part. I was orphaned when I was a young girl, so I didn't have much family to leave behind. The hardest part was leaving behind my job and my friends. I still think about them and miss them terribly, but there was one thing that helped me make my decision."

"What's that?"

"I knew that I could never live without Gaara."

Sakura mulled over her words. She asked herself whether or not she could give it all up for Naruto. It seemed strange to hear that Matsuri was able to do it simply because she loved Gaara that much. There were so many things that Sakura had invested time and money into, it would seem foolish to drop them all. And Naruto had been enjoying their time together in the apartment. He was getting used to living among humans. But deep in her heart, she knew she could never keep him away from his duties. Now that she knew what happened to the couple, she didn't want to force him into a decision like Hotaru did. It would be cruel.

"I don't know if I could do what you've done. It's hard for me to see myself giving it all up. I don't want to lose Naruto, but I also don't want to drop everything I've accomplished so far."

"I understand. I went through the same thing. You don't have to decide today. It's not an easy decision. I had to do a lot of soul-searching before I finally knew what I wanted. You're lucky that at least Naruto is trying to coax you to come with him. It wasn't like that at all with me and Gaara. All he seemed interested in doing was having sex."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sounds like something Gaara and Naruto have in common."

"They're very physical creatures. His stubborn pride kept him from asking me to stay with him. But I got Gaara to open up to me and in time, he accepted me as his."

"Our situations are so different, but still somewhat similar. I don't know how you got so much courage. Maybe that's why Gaara was so attracted to you."

Matsuri smiled. "Maybe. But think about what we've talked about. I wanted to talk to you so you would at least understand what's going on. You have a choice Sakura. You can help him or you can watch him fade away. Naruto doesn't have a choice. He has to protect the Kyuubi Mountains or he'll die. Think about it."

Sakura was quiet. She had never thought about it in such absolute terms. It was sobering. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I hope we can meet again someday."

Just as they finished up their conversation, Gaara walked into the room. Sakura did her best to ignore the fact that he was still completely naked. Instead, she focused her attention on Naruto, who stood a few steps behind Gaara.

"Are you ready?" Gaara asked Matsuri.

She nodded and took her place at his side.

Gaara bowed politely to Sakura. "We must take our leave now, sorry for the intrusion."

"No, not at all. You had important things to discuss." Sakura said, keeping her eyes above his waist.

Gaara turned to Naruto and held out his hand. "I hope this is not the last time we meet."

Naruto took his hand and shook it firmly. "It won't be. I promise."

The bonded pair from Suna held hands and then disappeared in a swirl of sand leaving no trace of their appearance.

Sakura turned to Naruto and frowned when she saw that he had a serious look on his face. It didn't suit him. He was supposed to be smiling and happy, not despondent and stoic. His demeanor didn't change even when she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Naruto?"

He turned and faced her for the first time since Gaara and Matsuri arrived. There was anguish in his eyes. He was still hurting and now his heart was torn. "Sakura."

"There's something on your mind. What is it?"

Naruto opened his mouth and then closed it, unsure of the right words. "I have to get back."

"When do you have to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

Sakura pulled him in for a hug and whispered into his ear. "Stay with me tonight. Just one more night here. Then you can go."

Naruto nodded and then pulled her in for a deep kiss. She could taste his desperation and fear. The death of another tailed-beast had rattled him greatly and she could only conclude from her conversation with Matsuri that Gaara had asked him to return to his duties; with or without her. Knowing that he had to leave, Sakura poured her heart into her actions. Each kiss lingered along his skin and each touch grazed his body when she undressed him. She would make this last; it was a promise.

He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom and gently laid her down. There was no rush, but the lovers somehow felt that they had to join as quickly as possible to feel that closeness. When he entered her they both stilled and looked into each other's eyes. They searched for the answers to their problems, but more importantly, the love in their hearts.

Naruto moved slowly and watched the expressions on Sakura's face as he pleasured her. She kept her eyes open to drown in his bright blue. Every movement was a thrill and each moan a chorus. They didn't know if this was going to be their last time together. Both of them hoped that it wouldn't. They realized though that time was slipping away. Naruto kissed every inch of her skin; Sakura responded in kind. Fingers traced indecipherable patterns all over each other in a way to please and remember. When they came, they came together in a duet of pleasure and pain.

Tears streamed down Sakura's face as she held him in her arms. Naruto kissed them away and cupped her face with his palm. "Don't cry."

"You're going to have to leave me."

Naruto nodded. "I would stay if I could."

Sakura shook her head. "You can't stay. You'll die if you do."

"I might die if I go."

"Not without a fight you won't. Just like Naruto from Jiraya's novel. You'll fight to the death for what you believe in."

Naruto wanted to ask her to join him, but he knew it would be too much. She didn't need that extra burden. It had been a mistake to try and convince her because now, it pained him to see her in such a state of turmoil. "I'm not going to lose. If it means that I get to see you again, I won't."

"If I want to find you, where will you be?"

"Just go anywhere in the forest and call for me. I'll be able to find you."

Sakura smiled, wiping away a few tears. "I'll visit you when I can. I promise."

"I know. Sleep now. I'll stay until morning."

She nodded and relaxed in his arms as he held her close. Naruto couldn't sleep that night. He merely watched her face as she dreamed. He knew she dreamed big. She was going to become something great in the human world, he could tell. She worked hard and was the most intelligent person he had ever met. He wanted to be with her: to have her be his mate forever. But he could never rob her of her dreams. He loved her too much for that.

* * *

><p>AN: Yay! Another chapter is up! I'm pushing to try and finish posting the rest of the story by the end of the month so that I can focus on NaNoWriMo 2012. There are five more chapters left. Next chapter, we get to see a sleep-deprived Sasuke. Sleep-deprived Sasuke is a lot of fun.


	16. Two Steps Back

**Chapter 16: Two Steps Back**

He hated having to call in a favor with this particular man, but Shikamaru was currently out of town on business. Neji was the only other person he was somewhat close to and was a lawyer. Granted, Neji still hadn't graduated from law school or passed the bar yet, but that was better than nothing. That's how Sasuke found himself groveling at the bastard's feet, telling him what he needed his help with and why. Thankfully, Neji listened to everything he had to say before commenting. Of course, the first words out of his mouth had to be biting and full of ire.

"You know, TenTen wants to kill you in your sleep for cheating on Sakura. Frankly, I think you're lower than dog shit and not worth the time of day. I could give TenTen a call if you ever need to put an end to your miserable existence."

"Go fuck yourself! Tell your warrior girlfriend to cool it. So can you help me or can't you?"

"Depends on your answer to my next question. Have you apologized to Sakura yet?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, he shook his head and smiled. "I forgot how loyal Sakura's friends were. Sorry for being a complete dick. But to answer your question: yes, I talked to her and yes, I apologized. I told her what happened. She cried. I guess that's normal, right? But she seems happier now. She has a pet fox and a new boyfriend. I absolutely hate his guts."

"That probably means he's a nice guy," Neji retorted.

"So, I told you what you wanted to know, are you going to help me?"

"Why didn't you ask Shikamaru? He actually is licensed to practice law and works for his father's firm."

Sasuke shot him a dirty look. "You think I didn't try? Shikamaru's out of town doing some work in Suna and his father's busy trying to sue Akatsuki. You're the only one free."

Neji looked over the notes that Sasuke handed to him. "How do you think I can help you secure these transactions?"

"You're the one studying to be a lawyer, you tell me."

"Touché. Give me a few minutes, I need to read over everything."

Sasuke gave Neji his space while he took a look around the small office. Apparently, Neji was one of the best and brightest in his class and got special privileges. Those included his own office to write papers, study, and conduct legal research. Sasuke made a mental note to petition the School of Business for a set-up like that. It would make studying much easier. He had too many distractions in the apartment: mainly Naruko. Though he did admit that if he had his own office to study in, he wouldn't get laid as much. The brief idea died a fiery death after living a short few seconds. Too bad.

"Sasuke, you say that you already have the funds to pay for the amount the city posted?"

"Yes."

"Then it looks like all you need is an attorney to draft up the purchase agreement, sign it, and then file it with city officials along with your payment."

"Sounds easy enough, can you do it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Neji looked at Sasuke coolly before answering. "I'm not licensed."

"Fuck Neji! Don't give me shit like that!"

"Language Sasuke. You're in my office, I can kick you out if I need to."

Sasuke pounded his fist on the wall. "Fuck your office! I haven't slept in I-don't-know-how-long and my girlfriend thinks aliens have abducted me. I've had to text her over a dozen times before I met up with you and all I want is a solution. Can you find someone who can do this or are you just some stuck-up, snot-nosed know-it-all who's all talk but no action?"

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Sasuke, you're lucky that you and Sakura were the ones to set me up with TenTen. If it weren't for that, I would have told you to fuck off a long time ago. Now sit down and shut-up while I do some research to figure out what I can do."

Sasuke obeyed and sat down without a peep. He knew he was toeing a fine line with Neji and blowing up in his face didn't do him any favors. Then again, Neji was also baiting him and he was never one to take things lightly. Luckily, Neji always loved a challenge and this proved to be a good one.

"I think I figured something out," Neji said reading over a thick manual.

"What?"

"I might be able to help you file the necessary paperwork if I have my professor, who is licensed, be my supervising attorney. There are some courts that allow third-year law students to file motions and Konoha is one of them. I'd have to ask him first, of course."

"Why don't we go ask him right now," Sasuke said getting up.

"I just need a few things. Once we get there, let me do all of the talking. I don't want you saying something you shouldn't. You're sleep deprived and not really thinking rationally."

"Fuck you."

"My point exactly."

The pair walked through the halls to a smoke filled room. In the middle stood a middle-aged man sporting a goat-tee reading some papers. "Ah, Neji. What can I do for you?"

"Asuma, I have a huge favor to ask. First, I'd like to introduce you to Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke, this is Asuma Sarutobi, one of my law professors."

"Nice to meet you." Asuma shook hands with Sasuke.

Sasuke remembered Neji's advice and simply nodded his head in a greeting. His brain was so fried, he wasn't sure if he could say his name without stumbling over the words.

"So what's this favor you need to ask of me."

Neji looked at Sasuke before speaking. "You better sit down, this will take a while."

* * *

><p>He moved with a sluggish exuberance, counter to his usual demeanor. It was partly because he didn't want to attract any attention and partly because of this morning. There had been few words between them after they woke-up. She had helped him pack all of his clothes into an old duffle bag. When he kissed her good-bye, there were no smiles or reassurances that everything was going to be all right; only a saddened expression mixed with yearning and worry. He didn't want to leave her, but he had no choice. His departure was killing him inside. However, duty had to come before love.<p>

And so he was back in the mountains: his home. He reached the top of the highest peak and jumped up to the top of a tall pine tree. Once he reached the apex, he closed his eyes and meditated. Relaxing his body, he could feel the spirits of the mountain reaching out to him. They welcomed him and warned him. They told him about the group of humans that had come through with maps and equipment talking about destroying the forest. They informed him about the new group of scientist who reeked of ash and the dead spirits of Lightning Lakes. The animals now spoke about the large yellow machines that were seen headed this way. Naruto could sense the fear in the air, in the trees. The mountain could feel death's blackened grip nearby. He had to act and act fast.

Jumping through the trees, he came to a level section of the mountain that many of the bad humans had been seen. There were still tire tracks in the ground left by their vehicles. Taking an acorn, he dropped down to the ground and planted it in the middle of the roadway between two rocky cliffs. He concentrated and pushed his chakra into the acorn. After a few hours, the acorn sprouted and two tiny leaves pushed up from the ground. He frowned at his progress. He had hoped to grow a large oak tree by now. The tree spirits had tried to help and show him how to channel his energy, but it just wasn't enough. He would have to return again later when he had rested.

His stomach growled while he lay panting on the ground. He craved the smells and allure of Sakura's cooking or even some instant ramen. He would have to catch his food now that he had returned to the mountains. The thrill of the hunt didn't seem to have the same appeal anymore. As he stripped his clothing, he understood the reasoning behind why Sakura couldn't join him. She was too used to living like a human. Naruto hadn't been with her long, but it was long enough to already feel awkward in the woods. His fox form didn't feel natural to him anymore. He longed for his lanky human form. Staying with Sakura had made him soft. Sniffing the air, he caught the scent of a rabbit and stretched his haunches before taking off into a run. Naruto would have to regain his edge if he wanted to protect his lands. Even if it meant he had to forget about living as a human or even worse, Sakura.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm happy to say that the gift-fic that my husband, Proteus DMC, wrote has been posted. It was actually posted over a week ago, but I forgot to add it to my author's note last update. It's titled "Teamwork" and it has a foursome. Check it out because I loved it and my husband is a far better writer than I am.

Next chapter we get to see things from Sakura's perspective.


	17. Basic Instinct

**Chapter 17: Basic Instinct**

She was afraid that he had already forgotten about her. It had been a week already, enough time for his scent to fade and for her to stop reflexively making dinner for two. The first day was the hardest. Sakura didn't even bother going to class that day. It was simply too difficult. Sometimes she gazed at the Kyuubi Mountains from her bedroom window. A tiny voice in her head wished for Naruto to come back. But he never did. It wasn't until the third day of staying cooped up and alone in the apartment that she finally got the courage to leave.

In her depression, she had gotten heavily behind on her studies. It was something that normally would have put her in a state of panic. Now, she looked at her books apathetically and couldn't seem to find the heart to open them. Instead of studying, her eyes would drift to the framed picture of the character in Jiraya's novel. She didn't have any real pictures of him; something she regretted. The cover art was the closest thing she had.

She was being uncharacteristically demure, even her friends noticed. Ino had tried to convince her to tell her what the problem was. She knew that it had something to do with Naruto. Sakura wanted to tell her everything, but it wasn't a simple story. It wasn't like they broke-up; not when she knew Naruto's life was at stake. All she told Ino was that Naruto needed to go back home for a job and wasn't sure when he would come back. He had even taken her pet fox with him to find a suitable home for the animal. It was the truth.

Fed up with wallowing in self-pity, Sakura grabbed a bag and stuffed it with some instant ramen. She packed a few other provisions and grabbed her car keys. It had been weeks since the last time she needed to drive anywhere. Sakura was a whole-hearted believer in walking to places because it was good for her heart and health. But today was an exception because all she wanted to do right now was see Naruto as quickly as possible.

She parked her car at the public park where she and Naruto had spent some time walking around on their first date. She entered the woods and quickly hiked up the trail until she was deep in the forest. Taking the time to find a secluded area, she looked around and tried to see if she could spot him. With nothing left to lose, she cried out his name.

"Naruto!"

She barely finished calling out his name when she felt the wind pick up. Leaves swirled around her tickling her face. Her eyes lit up when she saw Naruto materialize in front of her. Before he could even say a word, she jumped into his arms.

"I missed you," Sakura whispered.

"I missed you too."

The lovers held each other as if they hadn't seen each other in years. They breathed in days of longing and caressed yearning desires. Their lips found each other in reckless abandon. Naruto lowered Sakura to the ground where he removed her clothing. She made quick work of his clothes; slightly surprised he continued to wear them even after leaving her apartment.

When Naruto filled her, it was rapture. It had been too long for them. They moved together in unison, moaning and screaming in pleasure. It didn't take long before they both came, filling up the empty holes in their hearts.

Naruto remained inside of her while he kissed every inch of her face. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Same here. But I couldn't forget you. I just needed to feel you again. You said that you would come anytime I called, right?"

Naruto laughed. "I did."

Sakura smiled and turned around, pushing Naruto onto his back. She laid her head on his chest and stroked his arm. "Have you been eating well? You haven't been seeing any other girls while you've been gone have you?"

"No! There will be no other girls. Not after you. I could never look at another woman because none of them could compare. And yes, I've been eating well."

"That's good to hear. I don't think I could open myself up to any other man. Only you. By the way, I brought something that I think you'll like," Sakura teased.

"What's that?"

"Ramen."

Naruto's face instantly brightened.

Sakura rolled over to her bag to get the ramen. "The only thing I'm missing is the hot water."

"That's fine. I can eat these suckers straight up."

"You're such a dork, you know that?"

"Yeah, but you still love me."

Sakura gazed at him fondly before answering. "Yes, I do."

"I'll take that." Naruto kissed her. "Maybe if I get rid of the threat to the Kyuubi Mountains, I can come back to you."

"Do you really think so?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm trying to grow an oak tree at a junction in the mountains. It's where some construction workers are doing some surveying. I hope that if I get it to be big and thick enough, they won't be able to access the land they're thinking about building on. It's barely a sapling right now. I still have a lot of work to do."

"Do you think there's anything I can do to help?"

"I don't know. Maybe you could go to that organization you were interested in joining. They might have some ideas, especially if you tell them where the construction workers are."

"Where are they?"

"They're five miles to the West of their research site. It's someplace that the scientists haven't gotten around to canvassing yet, so they probably don't even know what's going on there."

"Where exactly?"

"There's a group of rocks that form two large walls. Between them is a small path that leads to a flat part of the mountain. That's where they are."

"I know where that is, I'll be sure to let them know. They've told me I'm allowed to visit anytime I wanted to. Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow."

"Thanks Sakura," Naruto smiled. "I'm glad that you came by."

"I am too. I'll stop by again after I talk to the folks at ICHA, how's that sound?"

"I'll be looking forward to it."

The lovers laughed and talked while they lay naked on the ground. The autumn wind blew the leaves around them. But Naruto wouldn't allow Sakura to feel the cold on her bare skin and neither would the spirits around them. Tiny specks of light danced around the couple, keeping them warm. They were invisible to the naked eye and Sakura hardly noticed them, too focused on her lover. If she had, she would have been amazed at the beautiful white sparks, twinkling with joy. Naruto had chosen and the spirits accepted his choice. This was how they were supposed to be; this was what they missed about each other.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Next chapter we get to see Shikamaru and Temari!


	18. Night on Kyuubi Mountain

**Chapter 18: Night on Kyuubi Mountain**

The morning started off better than any she had since Naruto left. The coffee was no longer bittersweet and the breeze felt relaxing. Nothing could go wrong. She barely noticed the dark rain clouds looming in the distance. To her, it was sunshine and rainbows. Sakura was practically dancing on air when she made her way to the ICHA site. She had already given Ino a heads-up that she was going to visit. Her best friend was happy to hear that Sakura was getting out of her funk.

Once Sakura got to the ICHA site, the first thing she noticed was the increased number of scientists and staff on the premises. She already spotted Lee and some white-haired man arguing while Karin tried her best to split them up. Shino and Kiba were helping move some boxes from one cabin to another. Ino was the first to greet her.

"Sakura! I'm glad you came. You said that you had some information for us?"

"Yep. Is Jiraya in?"

"He is. I already let him know that you were coming and that you had some info. You'll be happy to know that Shikamaru is here too!"

"Shikamaru's here? Wow, I haven't seen him since he started working for his dad's law firm."

"I know. They have him working on some of ICHA's cases. Come on, they should all be expecting us," Ino said, dragging her to Jiraya's office.

Konan greeted them at the door and ushered them in. Sakura was surprised to see the room filled not only with Jiraya and Shikamaru, but a blonde woman with four pigtails, a pale man with long-black hair, and the famous doctor, Tsunade.

"Ah, Sakura! So glad to see you again," Jiraya shook her hand. "I'd like you to meet some colleagues of mine. This is Tsunade, one of the directors here. Orochimaru, the lead scientist for Lightning Lakes. He's also a director. You already know who Shikamaru is from what I understand. And last but not least, Temari, one of the attorneys working with Shikamaru."

Sakura smiled politely to everyone. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"So, Sakura. What's this news that you have?" Jiraya asked.

"There's a team of construction surveyors that are canvassing the area about five miles West of here," Sakura said, pointing to a spot on a map. "They're using the Valley of End Trail to reach a rocky entryway half-way up the mountain."

"That isn't a good sign. They're already making the plans for demolition," Orochimaru said. "That's the same thing they did over at Lightning Lakes."

"Those bastards are trying to take the land before they've signed the papers. What are your thoughts on it," Tsunade asked Shikamaru and Temari.

"They're making a bid for it, so they're entitled to see the property," Temari started.

Shikamaru finished the line of thought. "But if it's anything like what happened at Lightning Lakes, there may be construction crews there too. That would be something we could use to persuade a judge to order them off the premises. The city would have to agree to it, but I'm sure with Mayor Namikaze on our side, we could do that."

"We should visit the entryway to take pictures and video of any activity. Catching them in the act will make for a stronger case," Temari added.

Tsunade nodded her head. "Let's make sure that happens. In fact, I think we all should be there to see for ourselves what we're up against. I'd say we go now, but it's supposed to storm soon. We'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"Thank you so much for the warning Sakura. I'm glad that you were able to give us a leg up," Jiraya said.

"Not a problem. I also want to protect the Kyuubi Mountains. There's too much at stake here."

Jiraya breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Now that that discussion's over, let's move onto the situation at Suna. Any word on the missing ICHA scientist?"

Temari shook her head. "Matsuri hasn't been sighted since the sandstorms started. The authorities are all but ready to declare her dead."

Sakura's head shot up when she heard the familiar name. "Matsuri?"

"Yes," Temari answered. "She was one of the scientists who worked at the ICHA site in Suna. She disappeared just before the construction crews were able to start their work."

"Where did the teams last see her?" Tsunade asked.

"She was headed towards our family gravesite. It's the only private land in the desert that the Akatsuki Corporation couldn't buy up."

Tsunade pinched her nose trying to think of any practical solutions. "I'm afraid that we're going to have to stop the search if she hasn't been found yet. It's been over two months now. I can't possibly see how she could survive that long by herself in the desert with all of those sandstorms. Does she have any immediate family?"

Temari shook her head. "We couldn't find any. Though I feel partly responsible for her disappearance."

Shikamaru put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I told you to stop blaming yourself."

"What happened?" Jiraya asked.

"I told her about my mother and brother who were buried there. My younger brother, Gaara, was born premature and was stillborn. My mother died from complications of childbirth and our father buried them in the desert. Our family prayed that the desert sands would keep them safe. When I told Matsuri this story, she grew curious and would always trek over to the family gravesite when she was on her breaks. I think she feared that the construction crews were going to damage the gravesite and wanted to protect it before they started their work."

"Have you seen any sign of her at the gravesite?" Orochimaru asked.

Temari shook her head while Shikamaru answered. "That was the first place we looked. We think she got lost somehow when the sandstorms started. I'm afraid that the most logical answer is that she's been buried in the sand."

Sakura listened to the story with wide eyes. She remembered hearing from Naruto that Matsuri had named Gaara after finding him near a grave. It sounded like the gravesite was on the same lands that Gaara protected. Kushina's stillborn son was also buried on the lands of a tailed-beast. She always found it odd that Naruto had a familial resemblance to the Namikazes. When Sakura looked at Temari, she could see she had Gaara's eyes and face structure. The hair was different, but red-hair was always a peculiar trait.

Her mind went into overdrive as she compared the similar backgrounds. Naruto and Gaara both protected lands that had the bodies of an infant buried there. They both looked to be around the same age. It was a likely coincidence that Gaara and Naruto were both named after the deceased infants on their lands. The mythology of the tailed-beasts never quite explained how a new one replaced a deceased tailed-beast. Sakura wondered if it was possible that they had to use a body buried on their lands to create them. If that was the case, then Naruto was truly the stillborn son of the Namikazes.

Sakura bolted out of the meeting, ignoring the surprised cries of everyone. Ino tried to run after her, but Sakura had always been the faster of the two. Workers and scientists alike stared at her with strange expressions when they saw her run out of the campsite and into the woods. Sakura didn't care if everyone thought she looked odd or if she ran out of an important meeting. She only had one goal in mind and that was to get to Naruto.

She ran about a mile and paused to catch her breath. Sweat poured down her face and her muscles ached. She hoped that she put enough distance between herself and the ICHA campsite. After taking some deep breaths to settle her racing heart, she looked around the woods for any sign of Naruto. This time, she didn't have to call out his name when he jumped down from a tree in front of her.

"Sakura! You came! I smelled your scent in the woods and thought I'd catch up with you."

"Oh Naruto! I'm so glad to see you. I have something important to tell you."

Naruto looked confused and noted her distress. "What is it?"

"I think I know how you and Gaara became tailed-beasts."

"What? I mean, how?"

"It's kind of complicated. But I met someone today who said she was Gaara's older sister."

"Sister? How is that possible?"

"Hear me out," Sakura said placing both of her hands on his shoulders. "She said that her brother and mother were buried in the Suna Desert. Apparently he was stillborn and she died from childbirth. Her younger brother had been named, Gaara, before he was buried. You told me that Matsuri named Gaara after seeing him for the first time near a grave. I think Gaara was the spirit of the baby that was buried there. He looked similar to the girl telling me the story; it was easy to see them as siblings.

"Then there's you. You know how we met the Namikazes up at the Uzumaki Shrine? They were there to remember their son who died when he was an infant. He was stillborn. The Namikazes named him Naruto and buried him in the mountains hoping that the fox spirits would protect him. Gaara's father buried him and his mother in the desert so that the desert sands would protect their bodies. It's not a fluke that you look so much like Naruko or that you see yourself in the Namikazes. In fact, you said so yourself; you thought the Namikazes felt familiar to you somehow. Naruto, you're their son."

* * *

><p>The surprise was evident on his face. For a long time, he didn't speak and wasn't able to form a coherent thought. He couldn't believe what he was told. All of the time, he always thought that he was nothing more than a nature spirit. But in reality, he was a host for the tailed-beast. It was also a shock to learn that he once had a mother and father who loved him dearly. Thoughts started racing through his head. He questioned what his life would have been like if he had survived through infancy. Would he have grown up alongside Sakura and her friends? Would he still have gotten together with Sakura? What sort of future would he have had if he were a human? It was too much for him to handle and he slowly started to back away from Sakura. His emotions and mind were in chaos.<p>

* * *

><p>Sakura felt him step away from her hold and tried to calm him down. "Naruto? It's okay. You're confused, I understand. But everything's going to be okay."<p>

Naruto looked up at her and shook his head. He didn't know what to do next, so he did the first thing that came to mind; he ran away.

"Naruto!"

Sakura tried to run after him, but he was too fast. His feet bounded up into the trees. She lost sight of him and fell to her knees, pounding the ground in frustration. In the distance, she could hear the low rumbling of thunder, the sky was darkening and the wind was picking up speed. Sakura got off the ground and started running through the woods. She called out Naruto's name, hoping to find him. Nothing mattered to her now: Naruto was her sole focus. If she lost him today, she would never forgive herself. Her legs pumped faster and faster; she found her resolve.

She ran through the forest with the wind chilling her skin. Fat drops of rain pelted the ground, but that was only the beginning. Bolts of lightning flashed through the sky and the rain began to fall in sheets of prickling ice. A vicious storm had swept through the area drenching the poor girl. Sakura didn't care about the rain or how her teeth chattered with the cold. The only thing on her mind was trying to find Naruto. The sky was pitch black, she had lost track of where she was in the woods. There were no trails nearby, only trees. She watched the trees and noticed that they all seemed to sway in one direction, which was not where the wind was blowing. It was an odd phenomenon; one that gave Sakura the sign she needed. She ran in the direction of the trees. Occasionally, she could see a pinprick of light in the distance and she kept following it for what seemed like hours. Based on the incline, she knew was that the trees where guiding her down towards the base of the mountains.

A quick flash of lightning showed Sakura a glimpse of a wooden structure in the distance. As she got closer, she could make out the distinctive roof of the Uzumaki Shrine. Her legs pumped even faster. She knew she had to get to the shrine. Once she emerged out of the forest, her eyes caught the lone stone slab resting in the middle of a well-kempt garden. She walked closer and smoothed her hands over the inscription: Naruto Namikaze. She held back a sob, placing her palm against the stone marker. He was here; she could feel it.

Looking up at the wooden shrine, she knew what she had to do. Sakura walked to the front of the shrine and up the steps with purpose. She had never been inside the shrine before and briefly hesitated before opening the doors. She closed the doors behind her and let her eyes adjust to the dark room. He was here and he needed her.

"Naruto?"

Naruto replied in a faint whisper, "Sakura?"

She followed his voice and found him huddled in a corner of the room. His hair and clothes were damp from the rain. His skin, which was usually warm, felt cold and clammy.

"Oh Naruto." Sakura hugged him. "It's okay now. Everything will be alright."

"Will it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I believe in you."

Naruto dropped his head. "How can you believe in me when I don't even know who I am? I can't even figure out how to stop those humans. I'm a horrible protector. I'm not even qualified to be a real human. How can you believe in that?"

Sakura gently brushed aside some of his hair and tilted his head up. "I believe in you because you are Naruto. You are the protector of this land and the one who chose me to help you. You are a real human to me because you can love. I understand that you're afraid. I know how that is. But now . . . now I'm not afraid anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I finally know what I want. I was just too stubborn to realize it. And all I know is that no matter what, I want a life with you."

Naruto's eyes widened at her words. "Me?"

"Yes, you." Sakura ducked her head down for a kiss. It was sweet, yet sensual. It told him everything he needed to know because it was filled with love.

As the couple kissed, Sakura could feel his body warm-up. She sensually stripped him of all of his damp clothing. His hands roamed all over her body, trying desperately to find her bare skin. Sakura lifted her shirt over her head and gasped when Naruto pulled her bra down and dove in. He finished removing her bra and threw it to the side along with his shirt and pants.

Sakura hooked her fingers onto the hem of Naruto's boxers and pulled down. She raked her nails teasingly over his legs. Before Naruto could reach over for her pants, Sakura crawled up his legs and let her hot breath warm him. He shuddered at the action and let out a shaky moan. She kissed him all the way before engulfing him. Naruto growled in pleasure. She was working her magic on him. She relished the sounds of pleasure coming from his mouth: they only increased her vigor. She had every intention of finishing him, but Naruto had other ideas.

She should have expected it; Naruto had always been unpredictable when it came to sex. With a gentle tug, he sat Sakura up and then motioned for her to get onto her back so he could remove her pants. He teased her in the exact same way she had done. While removing her jeans, he pulled her panties down too. They were burning with desire. The heat quelled any notice of the raging storm outside and the dropping temperatures. None of that really mattered to them. The only thing on their minds was each other.

Naruto left a trail of kisses up her leg and he settled down between her thighs. She shivered in delight when he blew on her. He kissed her before extending his tongue and licking it up and down. She gasped, feeling him lavish her with all of his attention. He was an expert with his tongue. It was like he could read her mind: the way he knew how fast or slow to go, how he knew when she wanted him to stimulate that spot, or how he figured out that swirling technique that always drove her crazy. He never failed to bring her to a screaming orgasm. Once they had both finished their foreplay, Sakura reached out with her hands to pull Naruto into a deep embrace.

He kissed her and entered. "You feel so good. I never want to stop fucking you."

"Then don't. Don't ever stop."

He thrust his hips forward pushing deep inside her. Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist while Naruto sucked on her neck. It didn't take him long before he brought her over the edge. Naruto then held her close and lifted her up until they were both sitting upright on the floor. After readjusting their legs, Sakura started to bounce up and down, keeping her eyes locked onto his. Green and blue clashed in a battle of wills to see who would come next. Try as she might, Sakura stood no match for Naruto's stamina. He pumped his hips up, filling her over and over until she overflowed.

Her next orgasm was so intense, she became limp in Naruto's arms and he had to gently lay her back down. He kissed her again and again. One of her hands grabbed at his hair while the other smoothed over his body to try and ground herself. The storm raged on outside while their passions flared in the small shrine. Their moans muffled out the hard claps of thunder. At the height of the storm, they both reached their peak together, gently coming down from their high to the pitter-patter of rain. They lay on the floor of the shrine, peppering each other with sweet kisses. Their gazes locked onto one another.

"I love you so much. I never want to leave you again." Sakura said kissing his cheek.

"Never?"

"Never."

Naruto smiled and then nuzzled her face. "What are we going to do now?"

Sakura laughed. "Isn't it obvious. We stay here."

"You mean, in the mountains?"

"Of course silly."

"But what about your studies? What about your friends?"

Sakura pulled him in for a deep kiss. "None of those matter anymore. You are all that matters. I've made my decision."

He laughed with joy and he kissed her all over. "Then stay with me by my side. Be mine. Forever or for as long as we both live."

"Forever," Sakura corrected him. "We stay forever."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Just two more chapters left! Also, I realized while editing this chapter I've been misspelling the work "lightning." I've been typing "lightening" instead. Two completely different words. I hopefully fixed all of the errors in my earlier chapters.


	19. Will of Fire

**Chapter 19: Will of Fire**

It was completely unlike her. She hadn't gone back to her apartment and nothing was missing. No one had seen or heard from her since yesturday. Her cell was stuck in her purse, which had been left in her car; a car that was still on the ICHA lot. Unfortunately, because of the yesterday's thunderstorm, the search for Sakura couldn't start until daybreak. Ino was worried sick, but she had a job to do. The ICHA team was meeting at the site that Sakura had told them about before she mysteriously ran off.

Kiba and Shino had found the trail that the surveyors and construction workers were using to get up the mountain. She was now riding in a jeep with Shikamaru and Temari. They both looked at her with concern.

"Don't worry, she'll be found," Shikamaru said. "Might Gai told me that he would leave no stone unturned in order to find her and he's a man of his word. Lee is also helping with the search."

"I hope so. Sakura had been down in the dumps recently. It was sort of similar to the way she acted after Sasuke cheated on her. Maybe we'll get lucky and find out that she's in class or in the library studying. Or maybe her boyfriend came back and they're in her apartment too busy to answer the phone."

"Maybe so."

The jeep stopped suddenly and jostled the passengers.

Kiba swore. "Whoa! What the fuck?"

"Shino, what's with the sudden stop?" Ino asked after untangling her limbs.

"Look up ahead."

Everyone got out of the jeep and more ICHA personnel pulled up behind them, equally amazed at what they saw. Between the junction of two rock cliffs was a wide gap, but in the middle of that gap rooted firmly to the ground stook a huge oak tree. The circumference of the oak was wider than a truck. No cars, or a person for that matter, could possibly fit through. Branches and leaves blended into the rocky surface. Thick gnarled roots dug deep into the soil like an anchor. It would take a highly skilled arborist to plan the safest way to cut the tree down, and even then; there may not be any equipment capable of handling the large oak.

A black truck with red clouds on the sides had pulled up from behind a large man jumped out of the vehicle, staring at the massive tree. "What the fuck? Nobody said anything to me about a giant tree. Zetsu, what is this shit? And who the fuck are those people?"

"Calm down Kisame," a red-haired man said. "I assure you that the tree wasn't here when I inspected the property on Friday. Besides, we have something bigger to worry about." He turned towards the ICHA crew. "I wasn't aware that you all had planned to be here. It was my understanding that you haven't obtained any permits for this area nor were you scheduled to work here."

"Cut the bull Sasori. You and I both know that nobody owns this land yet so we're both entitled to be here."

"Ah yes, we both are. Tell me, has your brother, Kankuro, been able to salvage his precious ego after I verbally owned him in court?"

Temari narrowed her eyes. "I guess it depends on perspective. He was able to appeal the ruling and last I heard, the Appeals Court overruled the verdict that was in your favor. So I guess surly underhanded tactics only win the battle, but not the war."

Sasori frowned. "Well, there are more pressing matters at hand. Such as this mysterious tree that has sprouted up. I take it this is your doing?"

"How presumptuous of you to assume anything. You know what happens when you make assumptions. Frankly, this is news to us as well," Temari smirked. "Perhaps this is a sign."

Sasori fumed, glaring at the young lawyer. "Kisame, Zetsu. Can your crew do anything about that tree?"

"We'll see what we can do," Zetsu answered.

Shikamaru held his hands out in front of him. "Settle down boys. Since nobody owns the property yet, it wouldn't be prudent for you to start chopping down any trees."

"But the tree wasn't there the other day. I personally surveyed this area, I should know," Zetsu said.

"That may be so, but it doesn't matter. The tree is here and you can't cut it down. Any attempt to do so will be reported." Shikamaru pointed behind him to the small crew of ICHA workers. Several camcorders were on and capturing the conversation.

"It seems that the only solution then is for us to expedite the purchase of the lands. The fact of the matter is, we only need a few more signatures and then we're settled," Sasori smiled.

Shikamaru snorted. "I guess you haven't heard about the complaint that was filed against your client's company regarding the Lightning Lakes debacle."

"I can't comment since I don't believe we've been served with the complaint yet. But the events of Lightning Lakes shouldn't have any bearing on the purchase of the Kyuubi Mountains."

The Akatsuki crew and the ICHA crew all stared each other down. Neither were willing to yield to the other. The argument between the attorneys was going nowhere. It would have lasted longer if the group hadn't been interrupted by another vehicle coming up the mountain trail. Everyone turned in surprise to see Mayor Namikaze coming out of the car.

"Minato, what brings you up here?" Jiraya asked.

Minato smiled and pat his mentor's back. "Only here to bring you some good news."

Another car pulled up and out sauntered Sasuke. He had on a pair of slick aviator sunglasses while wearing a loose button-down overtop an un-tucked polo shirt. It was unusual to see him so disheveled, but the smirk plastered on his face made him look like he owned the place.

Sasuke scanned the crowd and frowned when he saw Akatsuki's group. "What's with all this happy-crappy? Get those people out of here!"

"I believe that we all have the right to be here," Sasori countered.

Sasuke dipped his sunglasses down to glare at the redhead. "I've been working my ass off for the past week and haven't slept in days. My temper is very, very short right now and I'm in no mood for any bullshit that comes out of your mouth. I'll make it simple for you. This land is bought and owned by me. So if I want you to get out of here, you get out of here."

"You own all of the land?" Sasori asked incredulously. "That's impossible. You couldn't have amassed enough money to purchase it all!"

"Not all of it, but enough to dick you over," Sasuke said pulling out a map. "See all of these locations marked in red. I own those now."

The map was splattered in red at varied points. Most of which were ideal entryways or locations for buildings and infrastructure. One of those spots was the area they were standing on. There wasn't an important plot of land without a red mark on it, rendering any of Akatsuki's plans useless.

"Where did you get the funding for this?" Sasori asked, nearly ripping the map apart in anger.

Sasuke removed the map from the lawyer's hands. "Trust fund."

"Akatsuki will offer you twice as much as what you paid in for the lands if you allow us to buy them from you."

"Not interested. Now if you guys don't mind. Get the fuck out!"

The ICHA workers cheered on in victory as they watched the Akatsuki crew leave the site empty-handed. Various people tried to talk to Sasuke to thank him for his good deeds, but he had taken off in his car, heading out of the mountains like a man on a mission.

"Minato, I have to hand it to you. It looks like you're going to have one heck of a son-in-law," Jiraya joked.

Minato sighed. "Don't remind me."

He loved his daughter dearly; there was no doubt about that. But there were times when he wished he had a son instead. Especially on days when he saw that look in her boyfriend's eyes that held nothing but explicit thoughts.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you had the energy for that after how hard you've worked. Not that I'm complaining mind you."<p>

Sasuke smirked. His eyes were closed, but his body was completely content. "Your offer was what kept me going these past few days. Like hell was I going to wait for it. Did you like it?"

Naruko nuzzled up to his neck. "Like it? I loved it. I want you to fuck me like that again."

"Give me a few hours to sleep and I'll be game."

Sasuke was about to drift off into a much-needed slumber when his cell rang. Groggily reaching out with his hands, he found his phone and didn't even check the number before answering it.

"What."

"Congratulations little brother. I heard the news."

Upon hearing Itachi's voice, Sasuke sat-up. "Itachi? You heard already?"

"Yes. It's caused quite an uproar among our client. Akatsuki is infuriated that you struck before they could get their funds in order. Now they're scrambling to give you offers for the land you purchased or buy out the rest of the plots."

"That's not going to happen. I worked too hard for this and the Namikazes are poised to buy-out the rest of the land that I didn't."

Itachi chuckled. "I have to admit, that was pretty damn clever of you. I had been trying to think of how to purchase the lands for years. But you happened to come up with a brilliant solution that was both more cost effective and timely. You've surpassed me."

"Thanks. It means a lot hearing that from you."

"By the way. There's someone else on the line who wants to speak to you."

The deep authoritative voice of the Uchiha patriarch boomed across the phone line. "Son, I heard about what you did today from Minato. I must say, I'm very proud. Though our client may not represent what we desire, you've been able to come up with an outcome that not even our most seasoned workers could have figured out. I'm happy that you were able to help out the Namikazes, even if it was at the expense of our client."

"Thank you father."

"I expect you to keep up the good work and continue your studies. Itachi and I will have an office waiting for you after you get your MBA."

"I will father. You can count on it."

"Oh, and the Namikazes wanted to have us over for dinner tonight. I'm certain that Naruko is there with you so please make sure you both are there by seven. The family has much to celebrate."

The conversation with his father had been a dream come true. Today was the best day of his life. He duped the bad guys and had his girl in his arms. He knew that it was only going to get better.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: One more chapter to go!


	20. The Legend of Naruto and Sakura

**Chapter 20: The Legend of Naruto and Sakura**

It had been less than a year since Sakura disappeared. The most popular theory behind it was that she had run off with a blond-haired man she had been spotted with before her disappearance. There was no foul play suspected and nobody had any leads as to where the couple was presently. Kushina and Mikoto devoted much of their free time to helping search for her. It was an obligation born partly out of guilt, but also because they cared in their own way.

Her friends thought about her everyday. A picture of Sakura from their college graduation hung in Ino's office. They both had vowed that day to go into their respective fields to try and make a difference in the world. Ino was happy working for ICHA, but it was bittersweet knowing that her best friend wasn't there to share the experience. The picture was a reminder to Ino of how hard she needed to work: for Sakura's sake. She hugged a small plush fox she kept on her desk. It was one of Sakura's.

Ino looked at the plush fox and sighed. "You better be taking care of her."

They hadn't been able to find any trace of Sakura's boyfriend or adopted pet. Ino knew in her heart that Sakura was with the fox somewhere. She hoped that she was healthy and happy; wherever she was.

A shrill scream followed by the incessant banging of doors knocked Ino out of her reverie. She looked out the window in time to see Karin throwing Suigetsu off of her. The Lightning Lakes employee had taken a shine to the quick-tempered tracker. A flash of green appeared and Lee joined the fray, arguing with Suigetsu over Karin. For her part, Karin took this moment to run away from both of them. The strange love triangle was a constant source of amusement for the staff. At least it got them to stop talking about her three-way relationship with Kiba and Shino. She couldn't help it; they were both talented and willing to share.

Meanwhile, in Jiraya's office, the three heads of ICHA were in a meeting discussing some serious issues.

"They should be a threesome and then everyone would be happy. I mean, look at how Konan and Ino turned out," Jiraya said.

Orochimaru shook his head. "I don't know, some people might question the integrity of our organization."

"They already question it. The tabloids apparently think the three of us are together."

"No offense Tsunade, but the only one I'd be willing to have sex with is Jiraya." Orochimaru winked at his business partner, who only blanched in response.

Tsunade laughed. "None taken."

"I think I'm going to puke."

"Oh Jiraya, you know you love me," Orochimaru cooed.

"No I don't."

Karin's shrill shriek echoed through the ICHA camp, once again.

"I don't know why those boys chase after her. It's obvious she's not interested in either of them," Tsunade said turning away from the window. "That and she's dating that big guy, Juugo."

"It's the beauty products I invented. She volunteered to be one of my test subjects," Orochimaru smiled.

Jiraya shook his head. "Is this the stuff made out of the white snake skin or the fox dung?"

"It would be the skin cleanser. Honestly, I don't know why you make fun of my products. They've helped keep ICHA's finances in the black and even Tsunade likes them."

"Only the skin cleanser. Since you use the shed skin of the white snake, I can market it, but I won't even touch the conditioner. Only the really desperate or crazy would put shit in their hair."

"Why not? It works? Haven't you seen how my long luscious locks have gotten more shine in them?" Orochimaru grabbed the end of his hair and held it up to Tsunade's face. "Take a look! No split ends!"

Tsunade pushed the hair out of her face. "I can see. Just be lucky that your personal projectshappened to give us the funds we needed. At least you made your discovery on an indigenous animal of the mountains and not something else. By the way, has your boyfriend been able to get the test results on the medicinal properties of those flowers?"

"Kabuto is doing the third batch today. So far so good. We should be able to submit samples for government testing soon."

Jiraya shuffled through some papers and smiled. "Sounds like we're getting ourselves onto solid ground then. I just heard from Shikaku that the Courts in Kiri ruled in our favor. Both father and son are personally handling the case. Akatsuki has been in damage-control mode for almost a year now. Their Suna enterprise just folded after not being able to viably build."

"Serves them right. That's what they get for kicking me and my team out of Lightning Lakes the way they did."

Tsunade nodded her head in agreement. "They're finally getting what they deserve. By the way, I got a call from Professor Sarotobi. He wants to meet with all three of us for lunch to catch up on how things are going. I told him we'd meet him today at the café near the park. Shall we?"

"It'll be just like old times again."

"Except this time you won't be failing," Tsunade said.

Jiraya mocked hurt. "You wound me."

The trio laughed and chatted, making their way out of the office. They owed their close friendship to Professor Sarotobi. They also owed their current professional path to his teachings. If things were different, perhaps the trio wouldn't have remained as close as they were. But in this time and era, the fates decided to be kind to them.

* * *

><p>In a cozy house on the edge of the city, a newlywed couple sat together. They had walked down the aisle and exchanged vows less than two months ago. The couple were going through photos of their big day, smiling over the many memories that were made. But there was something that was missing.<p>

It was apparent in the wedding photos. Between TenTen and Hanabi was a noticeable space where a bridesmaid should have been standing. That space had been reserved for Sakura. Hinata was thankful that Ino, TenTen, and her sister were more than willing to honor her wishes to keep Sakura's spot open. The wedding wasn't the same without her, but both she and Chouji knew that wherever she was, Sakura was much happier now.

* * *

><p>In the Kyuubi Mountains, a family made their way to the Uzumaki shrine. A new face was joining them on their annual pilgrimage. Sasuke held Naruko's hand the entire way up. Despite their unorthodox start and the criticism from Sakura's friends, their relationship was still going strong. The pair complimented each other in a strange way. As a testament for how far their relationship had progressed and how much they appreciated him, Minato and Kushina invited Sasuke to join them.<p>

Sasuke was honored. It probably had something to do with being the catalyst that ensured the Kyuubi Mountains would be protected for an indefinite amount of time. It was unfortunate that the news had to come around the time of Sakura's disappearance. Some of his more optimistic friends seemed to think that she and Naruto had run off to get married and start a new life together. Even Naruko believed that Sakura was living her fairy-tale ending. But Sasuke never liked Naruto. He had only met him that one time, but the guy rubbed him the wrong way. So until he heard or saw otherwise, he would always fear for his former girlfriend. He still cared for Sakura's well being, even if they ended on bad terms.

They made their way to the back of the shrine where Naruto's grave was located and all stopped with shock at what they saw. Greeting them at the foot of the grave was an orange-red fox. It looked like the fox had been waiting for them. He swished his tail back in forth, eyes dancing with merriment. The fox bounded forward towards the woods and looked back at the group expectantly.

"I think it wants us to follow," Minato said.

Sasuke stared at the fox. "He looks vaguely familiar somehow."

"Well come on guys. If the fox wants us to follow it, we better follow it," Kushina urged the group forward and plowed to the front.

With Kushina in the lead, they followed the animal. The fox bounded around the forest in excitement and lead them to a small clearing a short distance away from the shrine. He hopped back and forth looking behind a fallen tree. Curious, the group looked behind the log and smiled at what they saw. Resting on her side was a vixen nursing four kits. The kits were only a few days old, barely able to hold their heads up. The proud mother raised her head up upon seeing the human guests and lolled her tongue out in greeting. It was almost like she was smiling at them.

"How cute!" Naruko said. "Though it's strange that the foxes are letting us get this close to their babies."

"It is unusually strange. Vixens are very protective of their young," Kushina said.

Minato smiled. "Perhaps it's because they know they can trust us. Or perhaps these foxes are spirit foxes and they recognize you. You were the shrine maiden here once."

"I was, at least until you convinced me otherwise," Kushina teased her husband.

Sasuke studied the two foxes carefully. There was something uncanny about the way they watched them. It was almost like they understood everything that was going on. He also noted how the vixen's fur was a reddish-blonde, but if the light hit it a certain way, it almost looked pink. He wasn't sure if he should point out his observations. As if the foxes could read his mind, the male looked at Sasuke and nodded his head. The action didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the group.

Kushina smiled thoughtfully and held her hand out towards the foxes. "Sasuke, did you know that Naruto would have been around your age if he was born alive?"

"I remember my mother telling me that."

"I had dreams of you two playing with each other and becoming best friends. When he died, I prayed to the fox spirits to look after him." The male fox gently rubbed his head into her hands. Kushina affectionately scratched him behind the ears. "I think the spirits heard my prayers that day."

Minato crouched down and joined his wife in petting the male fox. "I think you're right honey. I think you're right."

Sasuke stared at the two foxes intently. There was something peculiar about them. He wondered if the male fox was the one that Sakura had kept in her apartment before she disappeared. If he was, at least he knew that her pet was fine. The sun shone through the leaves and hit the fur on the vixen briefly. For a minute, Sasuke could have sworn that the fur looked pink. He looked again, but the color didn't stand out as much in the shade. The vixen simply looked back at him with a coyly.

"Come on guys, we should get back to the shrine. Let's leave the new family alone," Kushina said.

"They were so cute Sasuke. Almost makes me wonder when we're going to get married and have kids," Naruko sighed.

Minato choked. "Now sweetie, let's not get ahead of ourselves. After all, Sasuke hasn't even proposed yet."

Sasuke smirked. His fingers brushed against the velvet box hidden deep in his pockets. He was going to propose, just not yet. He hoped that Minato didn't mind that he was going to ask permission tonight. He spared a glance back at the foxes and briefly entertained the thought that Sakura was much closer than he thought, but that was impossible. Those were foxes, not humans. Even if it were impossible, he couldn't help feeling that she was safe and happy.

"Take care guys."

* * *

><p>The family left the woods as the fox family watched on. Once they were far enough away, the two foxes transformed into their human forms.<p>

"Were you glad to see them?"

"Yeah, I was."

The lands of the Kyuubi Mountains prospered. Plants and animals lived freely, never fearing that their homes would be taken from them. The spirits of the mountain kept the ground fertile and the air pure. People would come to call the Kyuubi Mountains a paradise in Konoha. The residents of Suna would try to downplay those claims and state that the Suna Desert held many hidden treasures such as a lush oasis and crisp clean air. There were also sightings of a family of tanuki, a rare desert creature thought to be extinct. It was said to be good luck to spot the creatures. Slowly, the world transformed as more and more hidden treasures of the world appeared. The spirits of the world thrived, bringing balance to the world for years to come.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Had to get the last chapter out before Hurricane Sandy takes out my power. I hope everyone enjoyed the story. Thanks for everyone who reviewed and read. Special thanks to Proteus DMC, who deserves the props for getting me to write this story for him in the first place. :)


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